Evan Schouten

Artist Statement

My work is an exploration of gender and surreal imagery through subtle narratives and ambiguous emotions. I encourage the viewer to project onto the work and form their own interpretations. I use self-portraiture to express myself and tell my story. In my work canines are a mouth-piece for my interpretation of masculinity, specifically transmasculinity. I see them as creatures that are accepted if they behave as expected or required or are rejected if they don’t.

This refers more to domesticated dogs, but I think it can also refer to wolves or coyotes (the canines I paint more often).