Tuesday, August 25, 2009

The Beginnings of "Socio-Radiation"




After receiving my long-wanted gas mask for my 21st birthday last Thursday, I was excited to slap it on and create a new "artistic image" of myself and the road I am taking with creating an art thesis. I've decided I just find the mask too appealing to not use in a contemporary way of portraying Native American issues, as well as just mental issues in general that are subconsciously created. "Socio-Radiation" applies to the toxic effects of modern society (whether it be capitalism, communism, etc..they are all equally blinding) on a person's ability to think for oneself as well as see reality. I'm fascinated with the nuclear era and this constant fear of the end of the world as we knew it. The fear of toxic radiation, a substance invisible to the naked eye but affects health and causes many problems. I see the robotic blinding society as a "invisible radiation that is now in the air", and people are openly exposed to it, 9 times out of 10 have no natural defense against it. The results being long-term effects such as loss of perception, loss of culture, and "visual imparities" such as believing everything a person hears, and the heavy reliance on media and taking every word from it as truth.
Personally I love the cross-visual of a gas mask with feathers and traditional braids, to symbolize the "mask" we must wear as cultured Native people to defend our minds against losing it to a tempting modern society, with this toxic radiation that we're forced to live in today.
I feel its a creative concept that I have yet to see anything close to, especially Native related.

These photos I took today, playing with lighting as well as manipulating heavy contrast in GIMP image program. I was too excited about my favorite visual finally being in my hands, and being able to portray it the way I've always wanted to. This is just the beginning of my portrayal to my "socio-radiation" phase in my artwork.