I created this piece for the "Lady Brain Mind Meld" exhibit organized by the District of Ladies. The show explored process by breaking down the two main stages of creating art: the moment of inspiration and then the route to final execution.
Angela Jerardi started this piece by supplying me with a photograph she took at Lake Bita Hai, one of the best protected natural areas of Yunnan Province in China. She gave me 4 prints, that when assembled, comprised one whole scene of the lake, trees and a boat blanketed in snow. The image personified serenity. The peacefulness was both comforting and a source of conflict to me.
The emotions currently weighing most heavily on my psyche are the threat of terrorism and the mayhem surrounding emergency preparedness. The photograph was a welcome escape from that stress. So I wanted to create something which synthesized those thoughts.
The faces on the couch are watching the news that's being fed to them on American television, expressing something between hysteria and stupidity. They are ignorant to the history of deception and propoganda used to persuade us to support war. They can't see the reality beyond their couch. They represent the public's current confusion and fear about the terrorist attacks. The window brings to mind all the talk about sealing up our homes with duct tape and plastic. And the scene outside reminds us of the beauty that still exists outside. There is a tear in the screen which reveals a photo of a dead pigeon - this is the reality that death will find you eventually.
"Serenity, Ignorance and Death"
Mixed Media
26"x26"
$250
