Temporary Depression
By: Leela A.
My artwork is focused on the awareness of mental health and how it can affect everyone and doesn't discriminate based on race, age, social class, gender, and much more. It is meant to show the stigma many mentally ill people have to deal with, such as not being taken seriously or told to be normal like everyone else. My painting depicts a fair Asian woman with stark contrasts of red and green and tears coming out of one eye to depict the pain and anxiety that she has to deal with. However, her stoic expression with one eye looking normal represents her struggle to remain normal in the public eye. The painting is also meant to be placed upside down like Georg Baselitz's artwork, because it depicts a lot more emotion and anguish than simply drawing someone crying or bleeding. The placement of the painting upside down gives a sense of unease to the audience as the main focus is shifted from the subject of the painting to the tears and her reflection. The tears signify the subjects depression or anxious moments that haunt her mind. The surrealistic style helps elevate the value of the message that people who suffer from mental illness should be more accepted in society and their voices shouldn't go unheard, ignored, or made less of. Overall, my piece focuses on the assumption that fair women are mentally and physically perfect and is meant to uproot this stereotype.
1st · High School Original Artwork (2020)