simplify

Simplify represents a difficult time. It is an expression about the desire to feel joy—understanding the components and physical attributes, but being unable to simply breathe and smile. It is about the way it can sometimes feel so hard—too heavy, layered, painful, complicated—to truly and simply feel the soulful, rhythmic, joyful, trusted continuum in our lives.

This piece uses graphics and text about how our lungs work, referring to the way that inspiration happens when pressure on the inside of our lungs is higher than the pressure on the outside. This, of course, is a metaphor for pressures in life. When we have too much pressure pressing in on us, it can be so difficult to breathe in—to inspire, and to be inspired.

“When we have too much pressure pressing in on us, it can be so difficult to breathe in—to inspire, and to be inspired.”

The x-rays are my lungs and teeth, and there is an electro-cardiogram of my heartbeat. Near the teeth, there is also a scientific description of the muscles used to make us smile. This is about understanding how to smile, and how a heart beats, but being unable to experience the joy that makes these actions truly happen.

In one graphic from an anatomy book, the example of a bucket and its handle is used to show the movement of the ribs during inspiration. This is also a metaphor, representing the bucket inside us that must be filled — with whatever it is meant to hold — in order to simply, truly breathe and smile again.

This piece represents a painful period of time. The following piece, Tiny Loops of Time is visually and conceptually related to this piece, but represents some recovery, forward movement, and a lot of joy and hope after this angst.

Simplify was created by combining photos, images, graphics, textures, writing, and type using Adobe Photoshop.