‘Flesh Blood Bone’ by Lauren Marx
On November 5th, I had my largest show in my career so far. The exhibition is titled, Flesh Blood Bone and is currently on view at Corey Helford Gallery. The series is centered around my immediate family and this show was my first attempt at creating work that was deeply personal to me. It was extremely challenging for me to produce images that I felt did my feelings justice, while also being comfortable with sharing those subjects with the viewer.
Animals have always been an essential part of storytelling, symbolism, and spirituality. I am continuing this tradition by producing works centered around fauna to tell stories that relate to creation, mortality, the violence of nature, and my personal life.
Flesh Blood Bone is my first attempt to acknowledge, and accept, aspects of my personal history that have caused me anxiety and heartache. As in my previous work, all subjects are depicted as animals. The series of narrative works centers around my immediate family, and the interactions and emotions that occur between the four members. Recently, I felt that I could finally address these feelings on paper. I have illustrated my separation from the issues presented in Flesh Blood Bone by depicting them as otherworldly, divine animals that exist in a habitat removed from reality. The four family members, which includes myself, become abstracted versions of themselves.
I plan on continuing to center my work around aspects of my life and past. I am seeking freedom from my anxiety through my artwork.
Deciding to take on such a sensitive topic for me, really stripped me down to the bone. I felt I needed to tear myself down to finally recover and move past such upsetting things for me. It was very meditative at times to pour out my negativity onto paper, and at other times extremely depressing. I was worried that these pieces would make viewers uncomfortable and turn them off from the work. I am so happy to say that that seems to not be the case. A lot of people have been reaching out to me and lending their support and even sharing their own similar stories. Sadly, two of my immediate family members are unaware of the show or the artwork in it. That separation will always be a part of me, no matter how much I wish that it wasn’t.
