Over the summer, I spent the days in my room, un-able to go out due to the lockdown caused by COVID-19. As a result of this quarantine, I decided to invest in a graphics tablet, this was so that I wouldn't have to worry about being in my studio in person.
My first go with the device, I tackled a sketch I had come up with just a few days prior to the purchase. This little sketch was an exploration of a sort of physical sarcasm, I wanted to express my current concerns that ran through my mind at the time, while also finding light in the subject.
I tried to distract myself from it, but it cannot be denied that I am extremely scared of the passage of time. Every day that passes I get more and more scared that I am wasting my life. Especially with the current pandemic, being stuck as home has only made me crazy as I feel like so many moments have passed me by. Memories lost because they have never happened, and the weight of that feeling is almost unbearable.
Somehow I wanted to romanticize this feeling, show the power of it, but in a nice way, a beautiful way. I thought about things that I found magnificent, and one of these things was a hot air balloon. I am fascinated by them and find them totally captivating. I thought it may be interesting if I combined my fear with my fascination as see what comes out.
After re-creating the piece on my tablet I found the image almost peaceful, there is a sort of sense of acceptance in the chaos. The yellow color really stands out and projects the idea of joy and sunshine, which is the complete opposite of the message.
The message 'powered by the rapid loss of time' references to my fears, where usually you would have either an advertisement or a pretty pattern... I have placed one of my deepest fears for the whole world to see. This is actually quite freeing, as if I have let my thoughts fly away.
Even the proportions of the balloon holds meaning, it's oversized and the basket is tiny. This is to show the overwhelming oppression this looming thought has on my mind. The balloon is so big that it will send the basket flying high into the air, and hopefully out of my mind.
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