Braveheart Youth Trust Art Exhibition – update

I have completed 2 more paintings that I have submitted for the Braveheart Youth Trust Art Exhibition in May.

Irrational Behaviour – Acrylic and charcoal on board, 500x500mm

I am exploring the idea of irrational behaviour in this piece and it’s link to escapism. Irrational behaviour of individuals include taking offense or becoming angry about a situation that has not yet occurred, expressing emotions exaggeratedly, maintaining unrealistic expectations, engaging in irresponsible conduct such as problem intoxication or extravagance. Through some of the interviews I have been doing over the past few months I have found some people to display this type of behaviour. It is really interesting to think about the link between this and the person’s want or need to escape to nature. They in some way try to justify that if they escape to this isolated or tropical place, which is their fantasy, that it makes them feel better.

Volition – Acrylic on Board, 500x500mm

Volition (or will) is the cognitive process by which an individual decides on and commits to a particular course of action. I painted and named this piece after “Irrational Behaviour”, but to also co-exist with it. You could almost say these 2 pieces belong together. Again, during the interviews I have been doing, the will of some people is much more powerful than others. Willpower is a concept that assumes we are under rational control. For example; an alcoholic or drug addict can be very cunning in achieving their determination to get high, and may display great willpower in achieving this goal. However, at the same time this can be seen as irrational behaviour and not normal. They go to great lengths to hide their addiction and can often live in a fantasy or surreal world.