Solo Together

SOLO TOGETHER has become one of Crown’s most recognizable bodies of work manifested in multiple mediums and scales. It is about the singular experience of togetherness. 

The crushed cups are cast in plaster and painted meticulously by hand. Each cup has a named identity that imagines an unconscious transference of emotions onto the form of each cup. Failing Out is flattened, Insta-worthy is sinuously turned, and Eileen tilts to one side. They are uncannily weighty. 

SOLO TOGETHER is a contemplation on the many imprints we make in the world, often unconsciously. While appreciating the uniqueness of each human mark, SOLO TOGETHER underscores the constraints of our interwoven ecosystem and our dependence on one another. It is a call to mindfulness and consideration of how each gesture, mark, and word can affect our existence and environment in profound ways. We exist in dual modes…solo and together. 

Like a palimpsest, the earth tells the tale of collective marks, accretions, and excavations. The production and disposal of single-use plastics poison our water and our air.  SOLO TOGETHER highlights the social, environmental, and cultural complexities behind this familiar icon. The bright red cup evokes a party culture and yet turned upside down, it resembles an alarm siren. 

The cup reflects a consumer culture defined by optimism and abundance. It is convenient, low cost, and tossed after one use. But, after the party, who will clean up the physical remains of a transient event? Like zombies in a graveyard, the cups appear again and again. How will we manage the oppressive quantity of single-use plastic products? Crown’s works, in actual size or large scale, reminds us of our joint responsibility to address this challenge. 

Ultimately, SOLO TOGETHER creates a platform for connection.