Artist Statement

Startle is a dynamic sculpture installation featuring two life-size deer, crafted from bent mild steel bars, positioned along the Atlanta BeltLine. This piece captures a moment frozen in time: one deer stands alert with antlers high, while the other is captured mid-jump, front feet just touching the ground. The gestural line work of the metal imbues these sculptures with a sense of immediacy and movement, blurring the lines between the wild and the urban.

Located in a space where the natural and human-made converge, Startle invites onlookers to reflect on the unexpected coexistence of wildlife within urban environments. The title suggests a mutual surprise between the deer and the observer, leaving open the question of who startles whom.