Artist Statement

Interdisciplinary artist Ross Byrd draws upon his eight-year stint in the military, creating works that give expression to his disparate experiences of active deployment and transitioning back to civilian life. With his art, Byrd seeks to shed light on the unique concerns of veteran and active duty personnel that remain unknown or poorly understood by civilians, and to challenge the commonplace, stereotypical representations of the military in news media and popular culture. While many of Byrd’s personal experiences will resonate with those of fellow veterans and service members, the artist makes no claims to universality. For it is the acknowledgement of the diversity of military personnel and their experiences that will help to dispel the stereotypes.