Unit 3
Although I think most art showcases an artist's mental state in some way or another, I think the pieces that I have made this semester use my mental health as a theme. I think for me art is a more efficient way to express myself than thinking is. By creating something I can allow people to glimpse into my brain and my point of view. I enjoy being able to show my human struggle in a medium more explicit than words. I like collage in particular because I think it is the easiest way to communicate. I think the way I make clothes is a form of collage as well as sculpture. I am able to compile textiles, adornments, pictures etc. into one unique art piece. Whatever medium I am working in my goal is to best show what it is like to be me and express my unique sensibility. I think my experience as a trans person, my mental disorders as well as my experiences in mental health treatment influence my work the most. I think these experiences are present in all of my work from this semester and they link my work to the theme of mental health.
In my painting, Neither Are Me, I depict two opposing versions of myself. The one in the mirror is to represent how I perceive myself and the other figure represents how I fear others see me. Both are extremified versions of me and neither are accurate depictions of me. I chose to use contrasting cool and warm color schemes to make the figures look foreign in the background. I feel my perception of myself and how it relates to my gender identity is very relevant to my mental health. At many points in my life how I am perceived by others and myself has impacted my mental health incredibly both in positive and negative ways.
In my fabric piece, my mental health is also the main theme but particularly my experience in mental health treatment. I made it to show my experience in wilderness therapy. I show this theme mainly by my choice of material. I image transferred the first photo that was taken of me when I got there about fifteen times all over the shirt. I feel this photo represents a low point in my life. Using pieces of my back packs from my program I obstructed the image transfers.This obstruction represents me working on my mental health and healing from this low point in my life. Not all of the transfers are fully covered. Some are barely covered. Going to treatment is not a cure. But my problems are lessened: obstructed.
In my most recent collage piece I show the theme of mental health but more in reference to where I am now. I used mostly objects that were already in my environment as well as stuff I picked up at places I go often. I wanted to depict the stress of school and failing my drivers test and applying to college all at once. I am all jumbled up at the moment just like the piece is. Again I used my materials to depict my theme. Although as I said before any art someone makes typically depicts their state of mind, in this piece depicting it is more intentional.
I didn’t plan this but I think my pieces ended up like a consecutive narrative. My fabric piece depicts my past, my painting depicts my past and future, and my collage depicts my present. I carry on a similar color scheme in my first two pieces and I realized recently that orange and blue were the colors of the logo of my wilderness therapy. In my work I aim to show my audience a bit of what it is like to be me. I hope that some of the emotions I have felt are felt by the onlookers of my work.
