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Mythology Inspired by Fear & Curiosity

Bowman, Thomas and Webb, Brent and Bradbury, Carlee and Philpot, Eloise Mythology Inspired by Fear & Curiosity. 2017. Radford University, Thesis. Radford University Scholars' Repository.

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Abstract

Humans actively seek to understand everything. When we confront something we do not immediately comprehend we become uncomfortable, even afraid. This is a constant aspect of life that mankind through the ages struggles with. While not everything can be solved, there are ways to cope with the fear of the unknown; through monsters. Trying to solve the unknown, our imagination generates chaos. It creates extreme exaggerations to fill the void rather than bring it to rational order. It is the place where monsters are made, and our fear is placed instead on those monsters. However this does not solve the issue. Trying to cope with the intangible with something just as, does not reduce anxiety. In fact it makes it worse. Through my art I explore the mythology of monsters inspired by fear and curiosity of the unknown. I seek to give that fear a true body as opposed to only a concept; to create a monster one can see. I work to visualize monsters, taking them of the dark void and giving them substance with idiosyncratic lines, chaotic symbols and implied shapes using a stream of consciousness drawing method. The result is a monster and viewer free to confront one another on the same plane. This is not a new method. Stories, pictures and word of mouth have all been used to address the intangible and give it shape. Rather I am paying homage through my own methods and coming to terms with my fear through monsters. I want to create something that might help others so that both I and the viewer address this monstrous fear.

Item Type: Thesis
Additional Information: The abstract, bibliography references and figure references are all in the document. I was not sure if creators included myself so to be safe I added my name and information as well.
Subjects: N Fine Arts > NC Drawing Design Illustration
Divisions: Radford University > College of Visual and Performing Arts > Department of Art
Date Deposited: 19 Sep 2017 15:30
Last Modified: 20 Apr 2023 12:54
URI: http://wagner.radford.edu/id/eprint/322

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