I Am the Octopus:
I Am the Octopus explores the theme of obsessive collecting. The octopus symbolizes the collector, with its eight grasping arms, instinctively hunting for prey to drag back to its den. There’s something tactile about the act of collecting––the need to touch, claim, and own. This octopus has come across a dollhouse at the bottom of the ocean and is curiously probing it, slowly collecting its contents. The contrast of creeping octopus tentacles ensnaring mid-century kitsch objects is both sinister and salacious. Khuzami is the octopus, driven by curiosity and an animalistic compulsion to acquire new treasures.
Abduction - detail. acrylic on canvas
Whisked Away – detail. acrylic on canvas
Knife, Toilet, and Shokugan - detail. acrylic on canvas
Lazy Boy – detail. acrylic on canvas
Apprehension - detail. acrylic on canvas
Gumby Caught in Bra- detail. acrylic on canvas
Studio Circa Octopus #1. Digital Photo
Studio Circa Octopus #2. Digital Photo