a universe unknown

ARTIST STATEMENT

“a universe unknown” is a series of digital illustrations and animations to highlight the significance of self care, demonstrate the reality of mental illnesses, while also shedding light on LGBTQ+ representation and protection. Using my own characters and a custom made maze-like environment, I will create visual representations of what it’s like to struggle with mental illnesses and self discovery, This show is based upon my own personal experiences with mental health and the journey of exploring my queer identity. Growing up, I felt that there weren’t many resources or influences out in the world to remind me to take care of myself and normalize the idea of figuring out who you are. There were many times where I felt that there was something wrong with me because I felt so different then most people. Today, I now understand that figuring out who you are is a normal and very time consuming process. Additionally, there weren’t a lot of people who took my mental health seriously and brushed it off as a phase or invalidated it. I don’t believe that people should struggle the same way that I did; I want others to realize that it’s okay to feel these things and it’s okay to take time for yourself whether that means discovering who you are, or healing yourself. To reflect my own experiences and emotions, I have decided to model a 3D maze for the viewers to navigate through. Scattered throughout the maze, my art will be displayed on different walls, similar to the ways that real galleries have their art hanging. My characters will be drawn using Procreate on the iPad, some will be animated with the same program as well as on Adobe After Effects. To create the maze, I will model the structures on Blender. The whole environment and show will be on New Art City. I want my online gallery to be as immersive as possible to help enforce how important these topics are.