I wanted to show them this

Artwork Name - I wanted to show them this

Artwork# 1

About the Artist

Name: Kai Roberts

School: OCADU

Program: DPXA

Artist Bio: Kai Roberts is an experimental multimedia artist with a specialization in animation. Based in Ontario Canada their work explores the limits of materials and mediums. With influence from concept art of contemporary illustrators they focus on exhibiting the human experience through form and structure. As a growing artist, Roberts continues to expand their skills and explore new avenues of visual expression. Roberts has completed their Ontario University of Arts and Design (OCAD U) BFA(Honours) as of spring 2025.

About the Artwork

Medium: Sculpture & Audio/Visual

Size: 24” x 24"H x 24"D

Artistic Statement: “I wanted to show them this.” is an audio-visual installation that illustrates my personal experience of grief, inviting viewers to step into a shared emotional space. Grief is an unfortunate part of life which often isolates us in our pain. This piece aims to connect us through our shared humanity. The centerpiece is a metal sculpture of hands creating the composition of a blooming flower, crafted from scrap and recycled steel. Each hand, with its unique form and pose, symbolizes the facade we present to the world. Every day brings challenges in maintaining this exterior, where each hand reflects the struggle to appear composed, despite feeling incomplete inside.
Draped upon the structure is a projection of visual static and fleeting shadows of overwhelming tangled emotions. The hands move independently, mimicking gestures of reaching, grasping, and searching—visual reflections of the internal turmoil experienced through my grief. The juxtaposition of the static structure and fluid projections highlights the work's overlying theme of the human experience. Displaying the varied and complex emotions and events witnessed in our lives. Tying the whole experience together is an ambient audio track.
Through this piece I hope the viewer finds themself feeling seen and understood on some level. Regardless of circumstance or cause, emotions are universally experienced, understood, and felt.