Open Up (VIVIDxVANISH)

18¼ ”x91.2”x16 ½ ”

encourage you to listen to these songs below and view the piece again.

Inspired by the songs "Higher" by Tems and "Vanish" by Giveon. Both of their songs tell the story of dealing with loss in relationships and the continued desire for connection. TEMS song tells the story of loss through the lens of bettering oneself and growth. I tried to capture that essence of power and beauty in growth and the warmth and calming sounds of the song itself (Slides 1 -3). Giveon's song tells a similar story from the dude of the person who is at fault in the relationship and feels such a deep regret and sorrow for his actions that he himself wishes to just "Vanish." When I very first heard the song the bass made, my heart stopped and changed its rhythm; it evokes those emotions and reminded me of how I imagine "The old guitarist" by Pablo Picasso would have sounded. That gave me the inspiration for the inside of the piece ( Slides 4 and 5). I tried to capture the solemn nature and the booming bass of the song itself in the colors (tone and hue) and the environment surrounding the figure. The piece as a whole tells the story of High and Lows and the feelings that accompany both, but no person is whole without the sum of both. We all experience highs and lows in life, whether we choose to share them or not. Oftentimes, we don't consider that as it pertains to others when we're taking care of our own things. That's what this piece is about, the idea of opening up. Perfection is an illusion, growth from lows is a part of all human existence, and we all know the feelings and thus can connect through our experiences by opening up.