Why Fear?

I am fascinated by the power of fear. It is a raw emotion that has direct ties to our survival instincts (see fight or flight). At times, listening to fear will keep you alive, but other times it prevents you from truly living. People are quick to relinquish their rights and responsibilities for a sense of security and safety. Thus the reason all governments are corrupt, and religion is such a big hit. Everyone wants a Big Brother to tuck them in at night and a God to answer their prayers. People need that reassurance that everything is safe and sound.

People say they want change, but it is actually something they fear the most. People are more willing to embrace a known wrong rather than risk facing an unknown situation which may be better, but then again it might be worse. For example, I am planning to quit my job and work as an artist full time. I think about this constantly, but then the lurking economy rears its ugly head and all of a sudden I'm afraid of becoming another casualty of this recession. I start worrying about how I will pay my bills and then I second guess myself. The fear of failure has a paralyzing affect. Even though I hate my job, I am inclined to keep it because it provides me with a steady income and a sense of security. I know that I would be happier working for myself, but the uncertainty is scary enough to keep me punching the clock at a job that makes me miserable.I am on the cusp of change and I couldn't be more frightened.

So when I explore fear as the subject matter for my artwork, I do so in order to understand how it affects people and society in general. I also use it as a way to gain insight into how fear affects me personally. When I confront a widespread fear such as nuclear warfare or terrorism, I am also confronting my personal fears of failure and destitution. One could say I am exorcising my own demons. My ultimate goal is to take these fears and all of the negative energy that surrounds them and transform them into something much more positive and constructive. Rather than attempting to eliminate fear altogether, I try to acknowledge it, accept it and then subvert it. The work provides a means to overcome fear, and I hope the end result is a piece that inspires more than it dissuades. Whether or not this is evident to the viewer I do not know, but it is something that I think about while I am creating my work.