In a bid to fine tune and focus my energy effectively, this post will explore current and recent works of art that sit within common themes that I am exploring within "Human Patterns - Holistic Concepts", within the page I have created boards which combine different influences I have been inspired by, so far.
Katja Loher is a leading video artist, she aspires to create video sculptures that take on a life of their own. “My video sculptures attempt to free the moving image from technology,” states Loher, “I see art as a language, and technology is merely auxiliary." Katja addresses pollination, extinction, technology and biology in her artistic practice, within the work shown above, she has created pill forms with letters entrapped within to spell out the word ENDANGERED which makes reference to the risk of the earth's natural pollinators dying out (the bee, the bat, the butterfly and the hummingbird) .
I have considered the symbolism of pills within my work as there can be many layers of meaning that can be derived from the inclusion. Medication often takes on the form of pills or capsules, these are prescribed by a doctor to treat and manage health conditions. This plays on themes of consumption and external remedies to internalised conditions. There is still a lot of stigma around mental health medications and the public's understanding and acceptance of such medications.
During dialogue with patients, there can be a resistance or reluctance to taking medication. The misinterpretation of "taking happy pills" or "I dont like the idea of having to take something to feel normal", resistance also exists due to the unpleasant side effects of many psychiatric medications.
" Loher’s new glass series is inspired by the shape of a neuron - the basic building block of the nervous system. At the center of the hand-blown glass sculpture, the glass is magnified to represent the nucleus, the core of the cell where we form our DNA. Peering into the nucleus tiny creatures float to form the chemical formulas found in medications to treat mental disorders such as Depression, ADHD and Insomnia. Dancing pills provoke the viewer to contemplate on how drugs may affect the mind. "
Katja Loher's recent work has continued exploration around medication and their impact on the mind and body. The inclusion of chemical structures reminds me of some work that I did a few months ago where I was looking at combining layers of chemical structures depicting dopamine, serotonin and nor-epinephrine with social media icons. I placed the icons in an order similar to that of medication packaging to represent the repetitive consumption of social media.
I am interested in creating future works that contain feedback from people who are taking mental health medication. My experiences so far are varied and each person responds to medication differently. Aside from pharmacological interventions, people have been known to seek out ways to soothe or self medicate to manage their mental health with a variety of substances or activities. I think this perspective could be developed into an interesting template for a workshop.
Comments