My inspiration comes from my experience of mental illness. I liken my process to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: deconstructing, reconstructing, and recycling ideas.
During group therapy sessions for those with eating disorders, I began to realize how I should appreciate my body for what it can do, not what it looks like. I am constantly learning through the art making process and the inner workings of the human body is a current area of interest for me. I do wonder if we might appreciate our innards more and focus on function over form if we can shake off the feeling that our insides are vile, ugly, and grotesque? This is why I love to explore the human form in my work: inside and out! Trying to find the beauty inside.
My methodology reflects how I process information: reimagining objects, exploring all possibilities, and making something new. Breaking things down, seeing them from a different perspective in different contexts helps me relate and understand. Play and experimentation aid my learning.
In twisting concepts and challenging perceptions of how we view the world, I deal with difficult emotions and ugly topics by attempting to unveil beauty. What constitutes beauty? Does my distortion make a subject more or less approachable? Easier to digest and understandable?
Written by: Sarah Carpenter is an artist and designer with a background in dance choreography and theatre direction. Carpenter received her Postgraduate Certificate in Design for Visual Communication from London College of Communication.
Art by: dannyquirkartwork
Inspired by: artfullanatomy and Freud and Fashion / Dr. Vania Manipod
