Portraits in Madness
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Dates2019 - 2020
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Author
- Locations South Africa, Lagos
Portraits in madness are a series of portraits I took during my Pure OCD compulsions. They reflect the unstable, and violent nature of my mind as I went through daily ruminations and repetitive attempts at controlling intrusive thoughts. In many ways the pictures were fruitless attempts to rediscover who I was beneath the self-doubt and self-hatred, beneath the constant mental pain, and beneath the obsessive nature of my spirit.
The images are subtle calls for help. They play with your perception, and demand you to scream with me: “I became when my art became”, “I became when my art became”, chanting words to control the ruminations. Chanting words to stop my mind’s greatest annual dance - I. Happen. To. Despise. Myself - where the compulsions take stage and spin till dawn, thwarting my essence, damaging my soul, and killing my body.
The last image in the body of work is titled “This is only temporary”, highlighting to the audience that I have not escaped my mind or found peace, rather I have discovered that existence is only temporary. My demons will kill me, for this life is only temporary. Your demons will kill you, for this life is only temporary. My spirit will fall, for this life is only temporary. Your spirit will fall, for this life is only temporary. Since existence is only temporary, create art with your darkness, and play with your madness. Fill your heart with pain, and spit your blood on matter, marking your mind and fluid nature on the fleeting and fragile things of earth.