Clarksville, Ark. --- Breanna Maureen (Cranny) will present her exhibit, Self-Medicated Addictions, as her Senior Art Exhibition from April 25 to May 2 in the Stephens Gallery of the Walton Fine Arts Center.
Maureen is a senior art major from Lake Village, Ark. There will be a reception to meet the artist from 6 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 30 in the gallery.
Maureen said the inspiration for the Self-Medicated Addictions exhibit comes from the everyday addictions that affect people and the ways people choose to cope with the day-to-day trials.
“This is a collection fabricated from the open and hidden faults of the human character,” she said. “Everyone has addictions to physical objects or desired sensation. We all know of the strong pull that seems unbreakable between us and our ‘need.’ In my series, I chose to focus on the addictions with prescription pills, liquor, cigarettes, and TV. I also explore the not so easily visible obsessions, such as body image and time. My pieces are intended to make you feel uncomfortable. No one wants his or her secret addictions exposed to the world, but in my work, the secret is out. It’s written on your face, in your eyes. Without speaking, we talk about them.”
Maureen’s artwork is a mixture of black and white photography, linoleum prints, and installations. Her photography is depicted in the sizes of 20-by-30 and 16-by-20 prints.
“It is displayed to be in your face,” she said. “My work is an experience between subject and viewer. The experience is as raw, stark, and gritty as the black and white lighting of the photographs. My use of bright color around my photos and in my instillation is to add to the alarm and anxiety of it all. While I explore the obsessions and addictions of others, I question my own and become more honest with myself. I invite the audience to be honest with him or herself as well.”
“You may relate to one of the addictions or not relate at all, but your own comfort level will be pushed, and your own life choices will be questioned. Everyone in the room is being asked to experience the same discomfort, and in that a connection with the larger group is made. No one should go through or fight addiction on his or her own.”
The Stephens Gallery is open to the public Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and there is no cost for admission. For more information on the exhibit, please call the Humanities and Fine Arts Division at 479-979-1349.
Topics: Art