Middle Management

"Middle Management" consists of a hand truck or dolly in which the nose plate is a pair of shoes extending past two wheels and rails extend upward to form a suit jacket and tie. The hand truck is simultaneously a human and inanimate object, a tool to be pushed around. The sculpture addressed the intersections of power dynamics, dehumanization, and the impact of hierarchical structures on individuals within organizations.

The juxtaposition of the utilitarian tool with the symbolic representation of a suit and tie suggests a merging of the mechanical and the human, blurring the lines between functionality and autonomy. The act of being "pushed around" can evoke themes of exploitation, compliance, and the loss of agency experienced by individuals who are viewed primarily as instruments or resources to be utilized for the benefit of others.

The formal attire traditionally associated with professionalism and authority becomes a visual metaphor, in this context as a straightjacket, holding the individual to rigid norms and conventions of the organizational hierarchy. The juxtaposition of the corporate attire with the utilitarian tool highlights the tension between personal identity and institutional roles, raising questions about the impact of organizational structures on individual autonomy, humanity, and well-being.

As we enter the nascent stages of artificial intelligence, this sculpture speaks to the movement toward social isolation, objectification and replacement of individuals.