Atomic Play

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Much of the imagery in this exhibition comes from childhood experiences and current societal events. As a child, I loved to play war with the neighborhood children. Many of my friends’ fathers were participants of the Vietnam War, and many of them played with the same kit that their fathers brought home. The romantic ideals of Cowboys taming the Indians and Americans defeating the Nazis were often re-enacted on the neighborhood battlefields. These childhood memories are happy ones, but unfortunately, we live in a different world today. The World Trade Center Attacks and the Columbine High massacre are examples of our changing times. Now, As an adult in a far more media-saturated world, I find it tougher to romanticize a gun.

My thesis addresses a visual juxtaposition between the innocence of a child and the violence that is created by our modern society. In turn, violent tendencies of children are often acted out through play. Though not a blatant attempt at pointing out the inconsistencies with our modern culture, my thesis does contain conceptual clues that the viewer will be able to recognize and make a connection.

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