Victoria Spikes

Curatorial Rationale

In creating this series of artworks, my goal was to create a linear horror story by using sequential art. Additionally, much of this exhibition centers around themes of horror and ecology. In making a story that is limited in format but broad in scope, my goal was to effectively make the viewer feel “trapped” in the narrative, with no choice but to imagine a potentially catastrophic end that is never specified. The final piece in this exhibition, Don’t Be a Jean Print PSA, is an example of this: it symbolizes the epidemic around which the exhibition’s story is centered becoming inescapable public knowledge.

The horror atmosphere within this exhibition stems largely from its themes of body horror and ecological exploitation. In particular, the implications of a devastating parasitic fungus infecting humans opens an opportunity for an uncanny valley effect by distorting familiar forms and behaviors. Additionally, the implication of the disease stemming from interference in a natural landscape creates themes of environmentalism and conservation, implying that some beautiful things are best left alone; otherwise, the ecological consequences might be unbearable for humans and wildlife alike. I was inspired by my own experiences growing up near the ominous marshes and forests of Florida, never knowing what exactly lurked within them. Additionally, artists such as Trevor Henderson, Trevor Roberts, Jenna Barton, and Miranda Zimmerman significantly influenced the way this exhibition portrays nature and animals. In particular, Zimmerman and Barton heavily influenced the piece Effects of O. terriblis on O. virginianus Specimens.

Through this work, my main goal is to challenge myself. In particular, I want to grow my skills in traditional art, as I have become almost exclusively a digital artist. These include skills in painting and illustration. Through the presentation of the works in this exhibition’s storyline in a linear fashion, I intend to use my designated space to create the feeling that the viewer is examining a museum exhibit or archive of past events that fundamentally changed the world as we know it. Once again, I want to “trap” the viewer within this narrative, as feeling trapped is essential to a horror atmosphere. Though the viewer can walk away at any time, as long as they are within the narrative, they are aware that its inhabitants have no means of escaping it.