Don’t clean up and lie down: Ethnography and conceptual art

I’m a conceptual artist and an ethnographer. My artwork explores the tensions between private and public acts, versions of the self, and codes of behavior. Crossing the boundaries and mixing the lines between conceptual art and ethnography has renewed my interest and commitment to both disciplines. Focusing on two photographic series, “Room” and “Reality TV,” I discuss my research interests, personal career trajectory, and how ethnography functions in a conceptual art context. I also talk about the ways in which my ethnographic training and mindset have shaped my approach to making art, and how art has led me back to ethnography in the business context.