YELENA SANYER
Cherry on top!
Mixed Media Sculpture
Mental disorders and perfectionism go hand in hand, specifically with illnesses like OCD and Body Dysmorphia. My mixed media sculpture focuses on compulsive disorders directed at one's body, something I personally struggle with. Needle felting is repetitive, like the act of skin picking. The entire head of the bunny is needle felted, as well as the “skin” on its body and limbs. The colorful sprinkles represent scars from skin picking, and the button eye represents the false reality that the bunny sees as it digs into itself with the fork. It does so while on a fine-china inspired plate atop a cake platter, unable to hide this from the world. The whipped cream and cherry symbolize the attempt to hide the mental and physical effects with a facade of perfection, also adding cuteness to an unsettling concept. The second plate symbolizes my mental state, including the detachment I feel when mindlessly picking my skin. The sgraffito drawing of a bunny and cooler tones create a dream-like swirling feeling. However, the underside of the plate is covered in colorful splashes of glaze, like the compulsive thoughts and emotions waiting beneath the surface. I hope that my art not only encourages those with Dermatillomania to seek help and alternatives to skin picking, but also raises awareness on the issues with having a perfectionist mindset and how detrimental the effects can be.
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