Human Condition August 29 - September 27, 2008
Opening Reception Friday August 29th 7 PM- 10 PM
Marianne Chapel
Exploiting Hope and Fear
Marianne Chapel
The quest to change our bodies, our material surroundings and our relationships is a never ending search that can not be satisfied. This is evidenced by the billions of dollars a year spent on self-help materials, prescribed medications, plastic surgeries and diet plans. These solutions are used for any complaint, fancied or real. The ones who suffer are caught in the delusion that they will find fulfillment from an external source. While they may find temporary relief, it is not genuine. The victim falls into an addictive pattern where they alternately blame the victimizer and continue to search for their cure. Unfortunately, accepting who we are and our present Human Condition i.e., changing ourselves from within, does not seem to be an option. Most prefer to fight what is, perpetuating states of unrest in a ceaseless search for more.
In this piece, I use the ideas of victims and victimizers, and juxtapose them with nature. By using a mixed media approach I incorporate lists of messages conveyed by the self help industries and society at large. I also graph the progression of the victim’s addiction to their own story and need for help. I use the element of text and symbolic imagery to represent specific areas in the world of self help. Representations of nature signify our own true selves. Transparent mediums such as wax paper, tracing paper and tissue paper are layered to symbolize the depths at which this behavior is incorporated into our being, as well as the denial and reluctance the perceived victims have in seeing the obvious.
It was a natural progression to relate our private experience to large scale, world-wide behaviors. The international conversation mirrors the individuals’ quest to change others and search for more. The same issues reveal themselves - financial security, victimization, and outward appearances. Therefore, images of global conflict appear in this piece.
