Artist Statement — Smoke and Mirrors, 2026 Smoke and Mirrors is an installation of seven mirrors examining corruption, narcissism, and the spectacle of contemporary political life in the United States, observed from afar. Each mirror carries a single four-letter word — RAGE, SPIN, MOCK, HYPE, FAKE, BULL, DUPE — printed on mylar using fabric from men’s vintage ties, the transparency implicating the viewer as witness or participant.
What began as a reference to the Ten Commandments — are these the values we now live by? — distilled into something older and more precise. Are these the new seven deadly sins? A modern incarnation of pride, greed and wrath, embodied by figures who have gone rogue, acting in servitude to power while exploiting systems for wealth, influence, and control. Words are used in conflict with reality, claiming authority or truth while masking distortion, deception, and self-interest.
Materials are intentionally cheap and decorative — glitter, rhinestones, novelty stickers, and mass-produced objects with a short shelf life. They may appear luxurious at first glance, but their fragility and artificiality reflect the falseness of the systems, promises, and image-making they critique.
The mirrors themselves are central to the concept: they fragment perception, amplify narcissism, and reflect the spectacle back to the viewer. By combining reflection, seductive surfaces, and charged language, Smoke and Mirrors invites contemplation of manipulation, spectacle, and personal complicity, and asks what values truly guide domestic and political life. Trish Campbell, 2026
