Andrew Perini

Artist Statement

The Puckerie are a visual manifestation of the anxiety I experienced while facing cancer. Although the doctors treating my condition reassured me that my life expectancy was unlikely to change as a result of my diagnosis, the medical report stated that the mass inside of my leg had "unknown biological potential." Expounding on this idea, I began to create a species of flora-fauna hybrid organism called the Puckerie, an amalgamative exploration of my experience with biological potential. I've always had a deep interest in biology and monsters. The design philosophy of the Puckerie drew on the unusual anxiety created by the combination of the doctor's verbal reassurance with the understudied and rare nature of the form of cancer I had, as well as the biopsy report's language that suggested doubt and uncertainty. I wanted these creatures to be both small and containable, cute and round, and also threatening, scary, and dangerous—a visual intersection between the horrible and the adorable.