“My Hometown Baby” is an installation of a site-specific work created from a hybrid of fine art, found, domestic, and craft materials. Material experimentation includes wallpaper, tablecloths, electrical and craft tape, and floral textiles – considering the kitsch qualities of the perfect home and traditional images that are produced around idealized romantic relationships. The materiality of the installation celebrates romance like a dollar store on Valentine’s Day, as Coleman plays with the cliché notions of being “a love-crazy young woman with her heart on her sleeve.” However, the overly sweet and sentimental aspects of the work become subversive, opening up dialogue for the viewer to reflect and challenge the notions of love and romance within popular culture. How do the images of romantic relationships heighten our emotions when in love? How do projections of idealized romance within popular culture result in self-sabotage in our expectations of the beloved?
Hometown Baby - Artist Statement