Keywords

Walt disney, tattoos, ptsd, trauma, jesse smith, jeff soto, war, war paintings, veteran

Abstract

Through the use of mixed media, I explore imagery that reveals the trauma of returning combat veterans, of which I am one, as we try to reintegrate into a society that does not understand the war that still lingers within us. In my work, I depict emotional disturbances that are related to my personal encounters with war. My working process starts by referencing mainstream media imagery, which I juxtapose against harsh images inspired by veterans' drug and alcohol use, trauma and death. My black-and-white pixelated paintings feature the fragmented memories of a hostile combat environment, and although "Out of My Mind" depicts the chaotic emotions associated with PTSD, my whimsical style of illustration suggests a detachment from reality. Whether we call it shell shock, battle fatigue or PTSD, the war-related disorder is real. I want society to be aware of the hidden scars that our veterans carry with them. I do not anticipate my subject matter changing any time soon.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2013

Semester

Spring

Advisor

Price, Mark

Degree

Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.)

College

College of Arts and Humanities

Department

Visual Arts and Design

Degree Program

Emerging Media; Studio Art and the Computer

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0004684

URL

http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/CFE0004684

Language

English

Release Date

May 2013

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Open Access)

Subjects

Arts and Humanities -- Dissertations, Academic, Dissertations, Academic -- Arts and Humanities,

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