Joe Manchin Meds Print

I’m a self-taught artist and have been making sculptures ever since I can remember. I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, way before it became the hippest place in the world. I make satirical pieces that address the way I think the world really operates. The Meds Series – worlds that I create inside of acrylic capsules - came directly from my work with children. As a school psychologist working primarily with teenage boys, I treated kids with many challenges, such as Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Occasionally a kid would come into my office so heavily medicated that he slept through the entire session. Other times, if the meds were properly adjusted, we could make some real progress through one-on-one talk therapy. I believe that, as a society, we are all too eager to treat any and all ailments with drugs, rather than taking the time and effort to really work through to the root causes of our problems. The Meds Series is my commentary on this tendency. But some of my work is just plain funny! My work is currently in private collections in the United States, Asia, Australia and Europe. I had the honor in 2013 to be selected in “Saatchi’s 100 Days 100 Curators” major initiative that recognizes talented emerging artists from around the world.