Iris Ward Loughran


    



         
The Presence of Whiteness; 2026; found gate steel gate from former parking lot, found rubble fragments, chain, paper grocery store ads, 





This body of work is a response to the images of the current genocide in gaza, and now war on Iran, of piles of destroyed buildings, rubble, and the implication of bodies under the rubble. Those images caused me to have a visceral reaction when I came across building fragments in my neighborhood of Bushwick Brooklyn. In the case of Bushwick, the rubble is mainly caused by new development and gentrification. This visual connection reminded me of an old tag that read  “Gentrification is the new Colonialism”. I have mixed feelings about that phrase, but I recognize two underlying similarities between Gentrification and this particular case of colonialism- displacement, and a belief that one could make a location better via the presence of their whiteness.







 

(Detail) The Presence of Whitness; 2026; found gate steel gate from former parking lot, found rubble fragments, jewlery chain, paper grocery store ads




As the War Machine Keeps Turning, 2026 Chainlink gate, collected grocery store ads, 


As the War Machine Keeps Turning (detail), 2026 Chainlink gate, collected grocery store ads, 








Displacement Fragments (installation view), 2026



       

from left to right: 

2026, collected building fragment, jewlery chain, screw eyes

2026, found building fragments, removed construction netting, found diamond earrings, 

2026, found building fragment, chain, removed lock from lot from demolition.

2026, found concrete fragment, collected wrought iron fence finials




Veiled rubble 




          




Home Copyright   irisloughran@gmail.com