Changes in the mental state.

Whilst studying Fine Art, I was challenged with the theme ‘Change and Stability, a broad theme, that allowed me to explore different ideas and topics. I wanted to refine this initial starting point and chose something more personal; my idea for the project was exploring the ‘Changes in the Mental State’ and conveying the condition your mind goes through, as your mind is ravaged of simple functions and the long-lasting effects Depression has on memories and relationships. Researching into different ways of manipulating images, I found Japanese artist Chino Otsuka who in her series, ‘Frozen & Soy Sauce’ deep-fried her images as a form of image manipulation. Although her series had strong links to her heritage, I still thought that I could implement her method into my project. I thought the effects of deep-frying the images could have strong relations to the deterioration of memories as they are desolated by the mental illness Depression and how the relationships you have with the people who are surrounding you deteriorate. After completing my research and planning out the execution of these pieces, I began collecting images of my friends, family and people I have deep connections with and started the process of deep-frying the collection of images in oil. The results of this technique were remarkable, the way the ink and photo structure begin to dissolve as the colour fades and bleeds away beautifully conveyed the idea I had to illustrate the dilapidation of memories and relationships.