This Cage Is Too Heavy For Me To Have Made It Up, Original Fine Art
Framed handmade original paper collage work on 9x12” archival matte fine art paper. One of one, signed.
"I made this piece as a response to the fact that my art-like everything I do in my life-is & probably always will be informed by capitalism. I know that it sounds over sensitive to declare 'my work is informed by capitalism' as an artistic gesture, but I do get ridiculously sad about it quite often. And by sad, I mean outright depressed. I'll sit down at my collage desk & find myself thinking, 'What can I make that people will buy because I have to pay for xyz-' instead of sitting & making something because I feel like making something. Which is terribly depressing, both as an artist & as a person who's worked to curate her life in a way that intentionally honors the art of our humanity. Namely the spectrum of emotions that act as catalyst for us to create.
I never want my work to be conceived because a bill is due. I want my work to be born of my feelings. So, when I find myself considering capitalism over creation; I simply don't allow myself to collage until I can shake the feeling. Because it's more than overwhelming. It's a cage & I'm trapped in the cage, but my collage desk is seven feet away outside of it. I can't make anything good if I'm making it because I need money, it just feels wrong & unintentional. I make art because I'm literally compelled to create. And that feeling, that real, deep, insatiable need to make something because my hands and my heart are humming a song that I remember the melody of but can only get the lyrics to if I JUST MAKE SOMETHING...that's the key.
The cage is real; capitalism is real. But so are the things that I make and for me, they're the way out. I created this piece (and the mate, This Dream Is Too Beautiful To Only Be Had At Night) after months of not being able to make anything because of the cage. I truly hope it can help others find the way out too." -B.N. Blithe de Carona
Framed handmade original paper collage work on 9x12” archival matte fine art paper. One of one, signed.
"I made this piece as a response to the fact that my art-like everything I do in my life-is & probably always will be informed by capitalism. I know that it sounds over sensitive to declare 'my work is informed by capitalism' as an artistic gesture, but I do get ridiculously sad about it quite often. And by sad, I mean outright depressed. I'll sit down at my collage desk & find myself thinking, 'What can I make that people will buy because I have to pay for xyz-' instead of sitting & making something because I feel like making something. Which is terribly depressing, both as an artist & as a person who's worked to curate her life in a way that intentionally honors the art of our humanity. Namely the spectrum of emotions that act as catalyst for us to create.
I never want my work to be conceived because a bill is due. I want my work to be born of my feelings. So, when I find myself considering capitalism over creation; I simply don't allow myself to collage until I can shake the feeling. Because it's more than overwhelming. It's a cage & I'm trapped in the cage, but my collage desk is seven feet away outside of it. I can't make anything good if I'm making it because I need money, it just feels wrong & unintentional. I make art because I'm literally compelled to create. And that feeling, that real, deep, insatiable need to make something because my hands and my heart are humming a song that I remember the melody of but can only get the lyrics to if I JUST MAKE SOMETHING...that's the key.
The cage is real; capitalism is real. But so are the things that I make and for me, they're the way out. I created this piece (and the mate, This Dream Is Too Beautiful To Only Be Had At Night) after months of not being able to make anything because of the cage. I truly hope it can help others find the way out too." -B.N. Blithe de Carona
Framed handmade original paper collage work on 9x12” archival matte fine art paper. One of one, signed.
"I made this piece as a response to the fact that my art-like everything I do in my life-is & probably always will be informed by capitalism. I know that it sounds over sensitive to declare 'my work is informed by capitalism' as an artistic gesture, but I do get ridiculously sad about it quite often. And by sad, I mean outright depressed. I'll sit down at my collage desk & find myself thinking, 'What can I make that people will buy because I have to pay for xyz-' instead of sitting & making something because I feel like making something. Which is terribly depressing, both as an artist & as a person who's worked to curate her life in a way that intentionally honors the art of our humanity. Namely the spectrum of emotions that act as catalyst for us to create.
I never want my work to be conceived because a bill is due. I want my work to be born of my feelings. So, when I find myself considering capitalism over creation; I simply don't allow myself to collage until I can shake the feeling. Because it's more than overwhelming. It's a cage & I'm trapped in the cage, but my collage desk is seven feet away outside of it. I can't make anything good if I'm making it because I need money, it just feels wrong & unintentional. I make art because I'm literally compelled to create. And that feeling, that real, deep, insatiable need to make something because my hands and my heart are humming a song that I remember the melody of but can only get the lyrics to if I JUST MAKE SOMETHING...that's the key.
The cage is real; capitalism is real. But so are the things that I make and for me, they're the way out. I created this piece (and the mate, This Dream Is Too Beautiful To Only Be Had At Night) after months of not being able to make anything because of the cage. I truly hope it can help others find the way out too." -B.N. Blithe de Carona