Title: Inhumanity
Medium: Found and made objects Size: 30 cm x 15 cm March 2016 Exhibition Text I focused on creating a symbolic and straightforward piece that sends a strong message across. It involves both organic and industrial characteristics as well as found and made objects to demonstrate the cruelty behind animal testing. Inspiration comes from an artist by the name of Jackie Lambert only that it’s not a painting, but a physical representation inspired off her work. My original intentions were to capture the audience's attention right away with the realistic feel that my piece has. Not all is self-made within the medium. |
Planning/Research
Ever since we were introduced to this project, I had the intention of creating something which can be thought of as a social problem, and for which I cared about, (sketches) |
Process
I headed to a local store in search of a stuffed animal in the form of a bunny. Throughout my research, I found that animal testing is most often performed on bunnies, rats, and monkeys. Once I found a bunny, I began to brainstorm ideas on how I could make this project so that the audience caught the message right away.
I headed to a local store in search of a stuffed animal in the form of a bunny. Throughout my research, I found that animal testing is most often performed on bunnies, rats, and monkeys. Once I found a bunny, I began to brainstorm ideas on how I could make this project so that the audience caught the message right away.
First, I began by printing the logos of the cosmetic companies that still perform experiments on animals. Some of those companies included MAC, Aveeno, Covergirl, L'Oreal, and a lot of other ones which I found out I use on a daily basis It came as a shock to me that although people have petitioned for these companies to stop animal testing, they still haven't so the cruelty continues. There are various perspectives on this issue, with some people saying that it's beneficial to our heath and safety, but others say that it's not because animals have feelings too.
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Meaning/Theme of the piece
For this project, we had to focus on the organic and industrial aspects of something. I had no idea of what to do at first. I looked into environmental issues and things like that, but nothing was catching my eye. It was when I came across the topic of animal testing that ideas started coming to me. The theme of this piece is cruelty, and this is shown with the way I put three knives inside the bunny. I added red paint to all three of them to symbolize blood. The main meaning of my piece though, is to represent the cruelty that still takes place for our own benefit. I am one of those people that believe that animals do have feelings therefore I believe that it is wrong and unethical to test on animals. The knives that are going into the bunny have brushes attached to them just to add an ironic feel to it. And finally, everything is placed on top of a foam display board and decorated with the same red paint that was used to represent blood but this time, decorated as a logo or design. This demonstrates the industrial part of the project that was part of the main intentions. At the same time, the bunny is what represents the organic, because its supposed to represent something that is real, which is the cruelty against many other animals, not just rabbits. |
Artistic Inspiration
For this piece, my artistic inspiration comes from Rebecca Matson, an artist that focuses on painting ironic things that relate to the topic of animal cruelty. The canvas she painted below inspired my work because she uses bunnies to represent the cosmetics industry and the seriousness of this issue. Here, we see two bunnies being exposed to nail polish and makeup, which tells the viewer right away that the topic is animal testing. Color is very important both in her work and in my work because it can symbolize pain which symbolizes the torment that these poor animals go through when they are submitted to experiments. |
Reflection
Overall, the piece that I like the most out of the whole semester would be this one. I've gotten good criticism on it and I really like it as well. I don't feel like I would change anything on it, but I would have liked more time than the one I had to complete the project. I am satisfied with it which is why I'm keeping it the way it is.
Overall, the piece that I like the most out of the whole semester would be this one. I've gotten good criticism on it and I really like it as well. I don't feel like I would change anything on it, but I would have liked more time than the one I had to complete the project. I am satisfied with it which is why I'm keeping it the way it is.
Sources:
http://www.peta.org/living/beauty/companies-that-still-test-on-animals/
http://www.peta.org/living/beauty/companies-that-still-test-on-animals/