Anathema, the Project

        The motivation behind this project is simple: to present a series of art works in the form of an exhibition which illuminates the concept of the ambiguous nature of our nations, our history, our individualism, and the public personalities of the people who have shaped our world.  The impetus for this project has come from living in a period of time where society has seemly taken a step backwards, becoming less cohesive and more fractured; where groups stand categorically in opposition to their opponents with a zero sum mentality informing the dialectic; ironically, each group seemingly views itself as having moral authority and absolute possession over some absolute truth, and yet this happens in the era of “fake news” where perception is more important than fact.  Viewing this period from a side, it seems that most opposing groups are not truly trying to achieve a result in the pursuit of an ideal, but rather to see their opponents lose. The desire to simply win at any cost has become the cause of an increasing divide between all segments of society, having led to a situation where vital issues and real problems which all people face go unresolved from a lack of cooperation.  In this context, in recent times, issues surrounding nations, history, and individualism have become flash points for conflict with various sides taking extreme positions. Again from the side, looking on at this situation, only the ambiguity of these issues stands out; the lack of anything absolute is really their chief characteristic. When the ambiguity of these issues is realized, that each issue can actually be viewed in multiple ways, that each group can actually be equally right and wrong at the same time, the basis for a deep and un-amicable argument dissipates.  It thus becomes the motivation for this project to show the ambiguity in these issues, black and white, good and evil simultaneously, without taking anyone’s part in any argument. The project seeks to provide in its limited fashion, an example of why there is little need for our current conflict, but rather the simple need to acknowledge that while one may have his or her personal view that may be very correct, others may also have their own which may be equally correct.