Fragments of Time

Abstract

How can the pain and complexities of impending loss be rightfully portrayed? The 4 most noted emotions that people who experience loss are anger, guilt/helplessness, paranoia, and numbness (Tal Young, I. et al., 2012). Differing within cultures, more complex emotions such as shame can be noted based on societal standards and family structure. Despite being a universal experience, many paintings such as ‘Inconsolable Grief’ by Ivan Kramskoi (1884) oftentimes focus on the deep sadness connected to loss, rarely discussing the more "ugly" emotions that come alongside sadness. Based on research, my personal experiences, and insight from others, I hope to create a series of paintings that explore the sea of emotions that overwhelm one when experiencing grief - and more specifically when impacted by an attempted suicide of a loved one. Each painting within the series will have the same subject with different scenery, portraying warped memories and emotions caused by loss.  Through these paintings, I hope to not only raise awareness about the complexities of loss and how fickle life is, but also to provide comfort to those that have similar experiences.