Root Cause is an immersive, participant-activated installation which merges the natural environs of a wooded forest with gritty, urban elements found in dive-bars and clubs, taking place inside of a one-car garage unit under the train tracks in Ridgewood, Queens.

Root Cause aims to investigate how we interact with one another in intimate environments with opposing visuals, within the context of a city. The rear of the garage is filled with what appears to be half a campfire of and logs and stumps collected from the woods, assembled underneath a mirror against the original cinderblock garage wall. The left wall, painted gloss black, is covered in drawings and personal confessions from myself and viewers, amassed over the duration of the build-out and during spontaneous evening gatherings. The opposing wall consists of reflective, wrinkled tin foil and three recessed mirrors, referencing Andy Warhol's infamous Factory. Exposed wooden beams, an ominous dangling light bulb, and a slow-turning disco ball comprise the ceiling, which reflect a dusty, faux-wood tile floor.

Essentially, three types of places are referenced, juxtaposed, and interwoven, provoking viewers to scrutinize how each affects our psychological state and communication patterns. While present within the space with the garage door open, I encourage all passersby to enter and engage in casual conversation. While bringing the visual, spatial, and sociological interests in my paintings to a broader audience and into three dimensions for the first time, the space also acts as a breeding ground of ideas and conversations, providing a groundwork for what I consider to be the root cause of all social networks.