As a non-binary artist living in a society with binary values, much of my work critiques and explores the constraints of this system. My work ranges from complex collages and sculptural pieces to immersive performances and installations. My ideas center on sexuality, identity, and intimacy, and I use fluidity to explore perceptions of these topics. Drawing from my own experience as a female-bodied person in the 21st century, my pieces discuss the physical presentation of gender and anatomy. My work calls into question the social constructions of male and female categories, and instead asks the viewer to unlearn preconceived notions of gender and identity.  

The body is an important medium in my practice, using my own as a way to discuss how they are consumed and how a gender non-conforming body exists in society. My sculptural work focuses on the build up and breakdown of form, using mold-making strategies to document and abstract my physical self. I use my own form as a medium to explore the concept of occupying space in a way that begins to feel radical; my presence becoming a form of protest by inserting aggressive vulnerability into non-vulnerable settings. Through interaction-based performances and installations, I create spaces of catharsis which act as a vehicle for the audience to feel vulnerable with me, focused on the intimate space between the artist and audience. My practice ultimately centers around challenging perceptions of the body and using my own as a method of communication and connection.

Silas Ruesler (They, Them) | @ko0l_dad