Artist Statement

Sailors & Sirens is a conceptual artist's book that challenges the dominant narrative surrounding sexual harassment and assault culture within the armed forces, with a particular focus on the systematic silencing of victims. Because many people are not comfortable addressing these painful realities directly, the work uses the allegory of sailors and sirens to create a safe space for visually narrating experiences of feeling trapped, disposable, and as though a part of oneself has been lost.

The counternarrative is structured through a hierarchical food chain metaphor. The "sailors above water" represent those in authority who enforce a "stock story" that normalizes misconduct with phrases such as, "if there's no evidence, then it didn't happen." In contrast, the "sirens and sea creatures" symbolize victims and the broader community working together to expose perpetrators and seek justice.

The narrative’s resolution comes from a community movement, symbolized by the "menu" found by the fish, which represents the catalyst uniting multiple communities needed to wash out the abusive culture. This emphasizes the critical belief that there is power in numbers, and without that unified force, so many victims are left without justice.

Interactive elements throughout the book's structure force the viewer to engage with the narrative, thus inherently tying them to the emotional weight of the story. The construction includes copper tape, LED lights, and layered velum pages, visually and tactilely reflects the depth of the counternarrative beyond what is visible at the surface. The cover's use of teal blues depicting a beachside, is directly associated with the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) office within all branches of the military, as they are the most qualified specialized team for these specific cases.