In legal terminology, mediation is the use of a neutral third party’s assistance to arrive at a solution.

Mediator consists of two upper-torso casts angled toward a ceramic cast of a microphone at the work’s center. The bodily fragments are coated in glazes representing two different skin tones, two subjectivity markers.

A large polished-granite base defines the boundaries of the conflict resolution. Unlike Phillips’s earlier works, this device has no straps, buckles, or other means of forcing engagement. Such a lack of physical restraints implies a mutual willingness to come to the table.