Courtney Jane Cone

I was imprisoned by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice from 2006-2009. During this time, my personal autonomy was severed. I became state property; a fleshy object– full of hiding holes, routinely checked and inspected. I relied heavily on irreverent, dark humor to keep my sanity, and it remains a vital part of my practice.

I’m intrigued by the idea of humor and horror being opposite sides of a coin, particularly in the context of trauma or survival. Processed explores the visceral, dehumanizing ramifications of occupying a female “body” in the prison system- existing within a culture of alienation and abject indifference. The sculptures embody an extreme version of dehumanization- the orifice functions as a site of trauma and point of transformation; the bloated forms, gaping holes and swollen sacks evoke anatomy turned inside out.