2018 Spring.Includes bibliographical references.My research asks a series of questions about how societal pressures sculpt male cultural roles in the United States. What components constitutes being a man? How have the constructed ideologies adopted by Americans affected my livelihood? How do the patriarchal structures in place shape my world view? Being a white, heterosexual male who fits within the privileged patriarchal systems of the United States, I feel a calling and obligation to utilize my voice to expose the toxic effects these systems have had on me and the rest of the American population. Toxic forms of masculinity are creating displacement, marginalization, and oppression of large groups of Americans. My work is an investigation aiming to unveil and exploit the effects of the ideologies of Christianity, nationalism and capitalism, and how these ideologies reinforce the toxic hegemonic masculine engine. The focus of my practice is to create and incorporate coded symbols and non-traditional painting materials as metaphors for stereotyped manliness
