ARTIST'S STATEMENT
QUESTION/ISSUE
This project was created as an explorative retrospection regarding my personal history of sexual trauma. I hope to address my emotions and represent them visually as they pertained to the complete and utter violation of my personal space through a series of five digital artworks.
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HISTORY/DISTINCTION
My work for this project has mainly been influenced by prolific digital artists such as Hieu from kelogsloops, Qinni from QinniArts, and Devin Elle Kurtz. The research I conducted in preparation mainly stems from scientific studies regarding the longer lasting effects of sexual trauma on individuals after the initial event.
A few important findings were of an almost globalized trauma response in three stages-known as the Rape Trauma Syndrome. These three stages are aptly named ‘Reaction’, ‘Recoil’, ‘Reorganization’. Elements I will draw from prior artwork are a focus on the human form, geometry, and triangular composition. What makes my work innovative are its heavy influences from trauma psychology from a scientific standpoint.
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APPROACH
My preparations for this project were rooted in a mixture of artistic studies and various readings of scientific literature. Preliminary findings revealed a very large and complex road to recovery in sexual trauma patients as outlined by the three stages of the Rape Trauma Syndrome (RTS). Scientists discovered a common theme amongst these individuals regarding the approximate timeline of recovery. (Chivers-Wilson K.A. 2006)
As for the artwork I will display-I will focus on digital artwork as my preferred medium due to its infinite color range and ability to replicate or mimic traditional mediums such as acrylic and watercolor. I chose this medium mainly due to its versatility and applicability to my project.
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AUDIENCE
My audience for this project is anyone who has had the incomprehensible fortune of not having gone through this kind of violation of self. As much as this project is also for fellow survivors, I’d like to convey the severity of mental pain generated from such a traumatic event, and hopefully can inform others who are ignorant to this pain about what it might be like to go through.
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IMPACT
This project changed many of my personal viewpoints regarding my experience-there are a lot of repressed emotions I had to re-examine in order to effectively convey my message. It has been a difficult journey even now but the reason I began this project was to administer some self catharsis and simultaneously tackle my self hatred of my own artwork.
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REFERENCES
Ouimette, P., Moos, R. H., & Finney, J. W. (2003). PTSD treatment and 5-year remission among patients with substance use and posttraumatic stress disorders. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 71(2), 410-414. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.71.2.410
Chivers-Wilson K. A. (2006). Sexual assault and posttraumatic stress disorder: a review of the biological, psychological and sociological factors and treatments. McGill journal of medicine : MJM : an international forum for the advancement of medical sciences by students, 9(2), 111–118.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank every one who helped me on this capstone project-in particular Heather, Harold, Kenna, and all of my peers who gave me their input on dilemmas posed due to the serious nature of the topic.