The First of Your Last Breath

Drugs and addiction inspire this mixed media screen print.  Within the dark recesses of the mind are glowing eyes belonging to the manifestation of drugs swirling within the user's system.  The influence creates a nest in the user's mind that controls both the physical and the psychological aspects.  Both dependency and addiction are present within the cross-section of anatomy.   What keeps the addicted from seeking help is the false concept that they can quit or control their temptations for drugs.  The influence is projecting messages on an old reel-to-reel projector, broadcasting false concepts of self-control to the back of the user's eyes.   I desired for this work to feel and look as surreal through the lens of a user under the influence.  The imagery could be seen as beautiful or harmless; however, it usually begins as a delight or a pleasure. 

The Portuguese Man O War, a creature known for its beauty and danger, is used as a metaphor for addiction in this piece. It appears to be a crown, symbolizing the initial allure of drugs, but its poisonous tentacles, like the addictive nature of drugs, move like a puff of smoke as they launch their spines down the mouth and into his lungs, representing the destructive path addiction takes.

There has always been a beneficial use of drugs, but everything in excessive amounts usually leads to some harm.  Whether any drug is used for pleasure or escape, there are consequences within the individual or the people they co-exist with.  Drug problems never go away and only seem to evolve and become much worse, as with today's fentanyl epidemic.

The First of Your Last Breath

24” x 36”

screen print mixed media