Reflection

Real-Eyes Realize Reality was born out of my frustration that society tends to live with its head buried in the sand as it ignores the catastrophic consequences of environmental degradation. I was amazed at how many individuals are more interested in a stylized, perfectized idea of nature while the actual environmental catastrophe rages outside their window. I wanted to make something that drives home the disconnect between perception and reality. My own experience with media and how it constructs our worldview influenced my creative process strongly. I thought about how we consume nature as entertainment through film, commercials, and virtual reality and how we avoid inconvenient facts. The silhouette of a theater was readily available in my mind because it's an icon for escapism and disconnection. I decided to use mixed media, including actual garbage, in an effort to literally depict the very garbage we ignore. The use of discarded products provided substance and value to the work and reminded me that art can be both effective as well as environmentally responsible. Creativity is what gives me strength—like I can speak things words are powerless to say. I did mixed media because I was able to combine storytelling, symbolism, and touch in a way that traditional media simply couldn't.