Slow Spectacle

This linocut depicts a snail in the heart of a circus tent—a deliberate juxtaposition that explores the tension between authenticity and performance. The snail, slow and understated, contrasts sharply with the circus’s vibrant chaos, a space demanding spectacle and conformity.

The snail’s quiet presence symbolizes otherness: the experience of existing in spaces where one’s true nature feels out of place. The circus, with its kaleidoscope of acts and curated marvels, becomes a metaphor for societal expectations, where difference can isolate yet also captivate. Positioned as both observer and outsider, the snail invites reflection on the uneasy balance between embracing authenticity and performing for acceptance.

At its core, Slow Spectacle is a meditation on selfhood. Carrying its home on its back, the snail becomes a symbol for resilience—an enduring sense of self in the face of external pressures. It asks: what does it mean to stay true to oneself in spaces that demand transformation or adaptation?

This work encourages viewers to reflect on their own “shells”: the ways they carry identity through spaces of discomfort, awe, or judgment. It suggests that embracing our differences can be a quiet act of strength. Even within a world that demands performance, authenticity has the power to ground us and create meaning.