Curatorial Rationale
This body of art is oriented to tell stories of addiction, rehabilitation, self-harm and sexuality. I find these tragic topics full of emotion, and with an audience lacking empathy. Through this series, I hope to start a discussion for the misunderstood. These topics tend to make people uncomfortable, yet they are all so very common. These pieces are meant to tell a story and to give a voice to those who find themselves without one.
Concerning addiction in this series, I’ve focused on alcohol and heroin addiction, especially in mothers. The three pieces in my series that blatantly focus on addiction are Poppy Seed Baby, Forget It and Womb Sickness. In both Poppy Seed Baby and Womb Sickness I explore the idea of the “heroin baby”, and the tragedy that comes with that specific situation. In Atmosphere, Blasphemy, and Toothache (not shown) I explored the theme of sexuality, and negative relationships with sex. For many, sex is not an inherently good thing, and comes with many negative and uncomfortable feelings. With a series like this that could be considered taboo I always had the viewer in mind. However, I did not aim to comfort the viewer, only to create something beautiful and create a dialogue. In Rehabilitation, Pins ‘n Needles, Lucy, and Creature of Faith, I looked at the process of rehabilitation. Having known current addicts and ones who’d recovered, I was interested in the recovery process in between. I hoped to convey a sense of struggle and hopelessness, but also strength. However, I didn’t wish to sugarcoat anything. Many of these pieces imply a death, which is often the reality for those experiencing rehabilitation. In Human Pincushion, Voodoo Doll and Motherhood I looked at self-harm. For many, this is a very confusing trend, however it’s an inescapable reality for many. In many pieces in this series I add safety pins or sewing needles that are often used for self-harm. Again, I hoped to portray characters that people could identify and empathize with.
For most of these pieces, I use haunting neon glows to draw the viewer in, as well as harsh white lines. The color scheme is consistent throughout the series along with themes and symbols, which visibly tie them all together. Small white lines are always present in these pieces, emphasizing and pointing to certain aspects of the piece, guiding the viewer. Sewing pins as well as safety pins are also almost always present. Through these techniques and symbols I hoped to bring the viewer in, but not comfort them. I created these with hopes the audience would walk away more informed, more empathetic, and more understanding.
This body of art is oriented to tell stories of addiction, rehabilitation, self-harm and sexuality. I find these tragic topics full of emotion, and with an audience lacking empathy. Through this series, I hope to start a discussion for the misunderstood. These topics tend to make people uncomfortable, yet they are all so very common. These pieces are meant to tell a story and to give a voice to those who find themselves without one.
Concerning addiction in this series, I’ve focused on alcohol and heroin addiction, especially in mothers. The three pieces in my series that blatantly focus on addiction are Poppy Seed Baby, Forget It and Womb Sickness. In both Poppy Seed Baby and Womb Sickness I explore the idea of the “heroin baby”, and the tragedy that comes with that specific situation. In Atmosphere, Blasphemy, and Toothache (not shown) I explored the theme of sexuality, and negative relationships with sex. For many, sex is not an inherently good thing, and comes with many negative and uncomfortable feelings. With a series like this that could be considered taboo I always had the viewer in mind. However, I did not aim to comfort the viewer, only to create something beautiful and create a dialogue. In Rehabilitation, Pins ‘n Needles, Lucy, and Creature of Faith, I looked at the process of rehabilitation. Having known current addicts and ones who’d recovered, I was interested in the recovery process in between. I hoped to convey a sense of struggle and hopelessness, but also strength. However, I didn’t wish to sugarcoat anything. Many of these pieces imply a death, which is often the reality for those experiencing rehabilitation. In Human Pincushion, Voodoo Doll and Motherhood I looked at self-harm. For many, this is a very confusing trend, however it’s an inescapable reality for many. In many pieces in this series I add safety pins or sewing needles that are often used for self-harm. Again, I hoped to portray characters that people could identify and empathize with.
For most of these pieces, I use haunting neon glows to draw the viewer in, as well as harsh white lines. The color scheme is consistent throughout the series along with themes and symbols, which visibly tie them all together. Small white lines are always present in these pieces, emphasizing and pointing to certain aspects of the piece, guiding the viewer. Sewing pins as well as safety pins are also almost always present. Through these techniques and symbols I hoped to bring the viewer in, but not comfort them. I created these with hopes the audience would walk away more informed, more empathetic, and more understanding.