Bio
Becca Thomas (she/they) is a Chicago based interdisciplinary artist and musician. Her current work utilizes installation with elements of video, light, soft sculpture, scent, and sound which culminates in an immersive and interactive environment.
As an autistic person who has multiple mental illnesses, they seek to unsettle societal norms about mental health and neurodivergence. Through their work they hope to advocate for acceptance of autism and mental illness, and to reduce the stigma surrounding those who fall under the umbrella of a diverse neurotype. Originally from Indiana, Becca received their MFA in Fiber and Material Studies from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and their BFA from Indiana University. As an emerging artist they have exhibited within the midwest and internationally in Japan.
As an autistic person who has multiple mental illnesses, they seek to unsettle societal norms about mental health and neurodivergence. Through their work they hope to advocate for acceptance of autism and mental illness, and to reduce the stigma surrounding those who fall under the umbrella of a diverse neurotype. Originally from Indiana, Becca received their MFA in Fiber and Material Studies from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and their BFA from Indiana University. As an emerging artist they have exhibited within the midwest and internationally in Japan.
Artist Statement
My work takes the form of installation with elements of video, light, soft sculpture, scent, and sound. All of this culminates in an immersive and interactive environment in which I ask the viewer to engage. I utilize repetition with visual patterns as well as repetition within video performance and music as a language with which I build an alternate reality. In this reality exists two characters, my personas who perform actions to display the complex psychological states that echo daily life, as well as those psychological states characterized by trauma that disrupt daily life. In moving fluidly through this variety of media, and activating the viewer’s senses in an immersive environment, I aim to interrogate the ways in which we perceive and make assumptions about reality. I seek to employ comfort as a radical tool to reclaim my body and rebuild my capability for interoception in order to mobilize care towards myself and my audience. In this way I hope to challenge societal norms surrounding mental illness and neurodivergence and reframe acts of insight and self-care as vital actions in everyday life. I strive for my practice to be a conduit for the celebration of neurodiversity.
News
Interview with Voyage Chicago
Read a feature about the artist on Voyage Chicago, an online magazine dedicated to highlighting interesting and creative people working in the city of Chicago.
voyagechicago.com/interview/meet-becca-thomas-artist-live-northwest-side-chicago-attend-graduate-school-downtown-saic/
voyagechicago.com/interview/meet-becca-thomas-artist-live-northwest-side-chicago-attend-graduate-school-downtown-saic/
Interview with Ballpit Mag
A short interview with the artist on Ballpit Mag, a site dedicated to giving exposure for emerging artists. Read it here => ballpitmag.com/portfolio/create_dreamspace/
Residency in Japan with Paradise AIR
Above are some articles highlighting the artist's solo show in Matsudo, Japan. The exhibit was sponsored by Paradise AIR and was a culmination of the artist's residency in Japan. May 2016.