Alaric Hobbs

Inspired by the resilience of refugees I met in Athens, the historical division of Berlin where I lived, and my own experiences of injustice, I channel a profound disapproval of global inequities into my art. As a conceptual visual artist, I am driven by the pursuit of connections between seemingly unrelated objects, using my practice to explore the intersections of societal and environmental conflicts. Working primarily with found objects and detritus, I seek out materials scarred with textures, spots, and marks that carry layered meanings. These discarded fragments resonate with the overlooked, ignored, or suppressed experiences I aim to amplify. I strive to breathe new life into these materials by utilising the suggestive qualities they possess, altering them in ways that make my sculptures more playful and my approach less narrow-minded. Themes such as hostile architecture, climate crises, and the struggles of migration and displacement are central to my work. By repurposing the residue of consumerist society, I invite reflection and challenge viewers to confront the exclusion and injustices embedded in abundance. My sculptures transform frustration into physical forms that embody resilience and defiance, unsettling the boundaries of apathy and pushing for greater awareness of societal and environmental conflicts. By emphasising how climate change—driven largely by first-world consumption—exacerbates migration crises in the Global South, I aim to reveal the interconnectedness of privilege, environmental degradation, and displacement. I am currently working on an exhibition that discusses how we as humans navigate urban areas, despite many deterrents used against people; especially minority groups.

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