Oligarchia, In progress...lifesize.
Concept:
I consider most of my work existential in its basis. From existentialism, the offshoots readily adhere to the fundamental ideas of constraint, liberation, tolerance, and the ideal. When we approach these concepts socially, we see their application in the contemporary movements happening at the macro level of society. Existentially speaking, our country seems to be coming out of the fog of a long experienced delusion of its freedoms. We see a divide happening between those who have made ever-increasing profits off of corporate interests and the average American worker, the endless barrage from the media corporations justifying societal division and inequality, and more: the supremacy of a military might which autocratically assumes justification for the occupation, brutalities, and atrocities in foreign wars. I wanted to make a simply stated artwork the displayed the emotive blindness of the subtleties of patriotism. In a sense, blind patriotism is the cause of some of the most horrific scenes of human irresponsibility in the last century and it is continued even now. In another sense, patriotism in the vein of dissent has the ability to question authority and even pressure larger, more powerful forces to comply with an educated mass movement. In this work I am trying to combine elements of artworks I have seen in the past, the existentially painted, “The Scream” by Munch and the modern propaganda agenda to preserve the status quo of “don’t ask questions, follow orders.” Conceptually, I am happy that someone does not have to know much about art to appreciate or dislike this work immediately upon viewing. For me, the conversation that follows is important also.
I consider most of my work existential in its basis. From existentialism, the offshoots readily adhere to the fundamental ideas of constraint, liberation, tolerance, and the ideal. When we approach these concepts socially, we see their application in the contemporary movements happening at the macro level of society. Existentially speaking, our country seems to be coming out of the fog of a long experienced delusion of its freedoms. We see a divide happening between those who have made ever-increasing profits off of corporate interests and the average American worker, the endless barrage from the media corporations justifying societal division and inequality, and more: the supremacy of a military might which autocratically assumes justification for the occupation, brutalities, and atrocities in foreign wars. I wanted to make a simply stated artwork the displayed the emotive blindness of the subtleties of patriotism. In a sense, blind patriotism is the cause of some of the most horrific scenes of human irresponsibility in the last century and it is continued even now. In another sense, patriotism in the vein of dissent has the ability to question authority and even pressure larger, more powerful forces to comply with an educated mass movement. In this work I am trying to combine elements of artworks I have seen in the past, the existentially painted, “The Scream” by Munch and the modern propaganda agenda to preserve the status quo of “don’t ask questions, follow orders.” Conceptually, I am happy that someone does not have to know much about art to appreciate or dislike this work immediately upon viewing. For me, the conversation that follows is important also.