Struggles of Modern Male Conformities

The bilateral existence of beauty and dark within each artwork resembles the grotesque confinement of a modern teenage male. Throughout the exploration of modern standards for masculinity, the discovery of major topics not associated with male assisted in the tackling of the theme. To emphasize, usages of daily products were necessary, such as cosmetics, fashion, and beauty products effectively present the crossing into femininity. As displayed, the exhibition revolves around a centerpiece, DIE-T, this is after the realization the artworks consist of elements regarding body image. The centerpiece encourages movement around the exhibition, due to the artwork’s characteristic of perpetual shift. As the audience approaches the exhibition, the angle when “DIET” becomes comprehensible, “Only Human” the assemblage would be visible hanging above it to captivate the audience’s attention and their focus on modern beauty. Through an anticlockwise orbit, the third artwork, “forced perspective” can be seen. When observing the interaction between black and white, it simultaneously refers back to the centerpiece, piercing through its hole to reveal the other image created by the centerpiece. To conclude the exhibition, the last artwork,” Wonderful World” bestows a visual representation of the modern world while acting as a period due to its spherical form. With most of the artwork consisting of installation art, the planning for the arrangement was exasperating. Because of personal despise towards conventional exhibitions with walls perceived during the appreciation of art, the challenge was to arrange the artworks to minimize the audience’s time of gap. The composition of the exhibition is the grotesque values behind the current expectation passively implemented on juveniles. Throughout the exhibition is an exploration of the impacts caused in different aspects of a modern teenager. While walking around the artwork the exhibition as a whole will reveal itself as interconnected suffering of different body parts. As depicted by the artworks most will consist of some form of beauty to symbolize its relevance to how hideousness is related to beauty. It was difficult to incorporate beauty as grotesqueness is often deemed as polar. It is evident that all the artworks displayed contain the color black, this is a usage of the conventional connotations of black, the nature of the color is somehow as contrary as the theme of the exhibition. Often associated with death and unpleasantness it is conceded as the color to represent elegance.

DIE-T

Installation

The artwork is inspired by Michael Murphy’s “perpetual shift” technique. As the audience walks around it, the angle it is perceived changes the shape it creates. Change in shapes expresses the change in thought and the perpetual motion of struggle. It is the visualization of the struggles posing modern teens with body image. The color of the artwork is solely red, it is to emphasize the texture of the paint. Several layers were applied to create dripping effects, a reflection of blood.

Only Human

Assemblage

The assemblage is a representation of trying to achieve modern beauty standards. The excess wires symbolize the absurd amount of artificial effort put into beauty with the color black associating with the darkness behind it. In addition to the holes that are sealed by wires, it represents the common saying “beauty is pain.” The artwork contains references to Kuchisake-onna, a Japanese ghost that asks strangers “am I beautiful?” before revealing her ripped mouth.

Wonderful World

Assemblage

The assemblage is a mockery of modern society, inspired bu Mike Kelly’s MoMa PS1, the artwork has a fantasy-like image portrayal. It is contrasted by the crumbling earth on the other side which can’t be seen due to the extensive gold sheets, suggesting how the world functions by simply fabricating the ugly truth. The abundance of beauty products dripped with golden glitter reveals how society overwhelms itself, whilst glitter is a reference to the aphorism “all that glitters is not gold.”

Forced Perspective

Spray paint on Plexiglass

The artist incorporated this quote in his expression of art, depicting how easily human fragility is exposed. The void of the pupil symbolizes the revealing of masked ignorance, creating a focal point for the audience to look at what is within. The void assists the showcasing of an optical illusion only visible from the “forced perspective.” This illustration demonstrates how reality is blindsided occasionally by one’s point of view.