Conceit

Mixed Media, 2006

Conceit plays with the symbolism and folklore surrounding crows—often seen as harbingers, tricksters, or messengers between realms. Crows are steeped in superstition, yet as a species, they endure and adapt, living alongside us, watching from the edges.

I came across a fake crow at a joke shop, so fake I almost felt sorry for it. Here, it’s eyeing up a cairn—an ancient monument of stones meant to mark memory or presence. Except, this cairn isn’t made of stones, but hand-cast replicas of a real crow skull—repeated over and over.

The crow, which should be a symbol of mystery or meaning, looks out over a memorial of fake crows, and the irony of that pairing is heightened by the garish stage lighting casting theatrical shadows behind. This scene is a subtle but pointed exploration of the tension between artifice and authenticity. The more we try to preserve, honour, or remember, the more the original becomes obscured—often in absurd, weirdly funny ways.