This post represents a series of three paintings using traditional art techniques to express “trust” and “deception,” incorporating the contemporary “chiaroscuro” effect. Although the style of chiaroscuro in visual arts has varied since the Renaissance, it usually refers to contrasting areas of light and darkness within a single canvas. In addition, my black and white acrylic paint on canvas also references different eras of art, such as Surrealism, Cubism, and Early Expressionism.
Most of my creations draw inspiration from real-life events and experiences connected to Expressionism.
This series of artwork revolves around the theme of “Trust and Deception.”
The story of this art series, “Trust is a Deception,” depicts people who have had their hopes betrayed, victims who have had their beliefs undermined, and those who have suffered immense pain throughout their lives because of those travesties. Life is the art of being well-deluded. Betrayal, deceit, and abandonment never come from the nemesis or haters; they come from friends, family, and loved ones. And a key reason is that forgiving and forgetting a loved one presents many challenges.
Trust is fragile! Trust can easily break.
As a result, to sustain a lasting healthy emotional connection, each individual in the relationship must reveal their true authentic self to their loved ones. Generally, this is the best way for long-term relationships to build mutual credibility. In contrast, many people have a natural reliance and belief toward their friends, family, and partners that emanate from a childlike innocence. But at a certain point, trusting someone blindly could be misleading or distorting their vision of reality. And it ultimately violates their values of self-concept or self-esteem.
Betrayal not only breaks your heart but also darkens your soul. Like a fog that lingers in the depths of your mind, you cannot just escape the sorrow.
Hence, Trust could sometimes be just plain Deception!! But what does the statement “Trust is a Deception” in emotional relationships mean?
Deception includes making ambiguous or vague statements, manipulating information through emphasis, exaggeration, minimization, compelling half-truths, and withholding feelings or information vitally important to someone who has a right to know because it affects any relationship. It withdraws a person from freedom of choice and informed action. Secrets and lies cause a blockage in intimacy along with multiple adversities. As a result, emotionally abused victims find themselves in a mental state of confusion, anxiety, neediness, rage, and suspicion. Despite our belief that we are honest, only a few reveal all our hurtful thoughts and feelings about the people close to us. And those traumatic emotions or PTSD are often grounded beneath the layers of oneself, eventually coming to the surface in various favorable or unfavorable forms.
The truth is that being vulnerable and authentic requires courage; it could be dauntingly challenging.
And this abstract art portrays or reflects the expressions of repression. It speaks about the vulnerability of the wounded, who are trying to process reality, questioning themselves about every action. Bruised and paralyzed by reliving those moments could be harsh. Despite their sufferings, they are unable to withdraw from those feelings. They feel wrapped up or absorbed as they attempt to escape. They struggle to roar in the state of being dazed from within the burning space, yet they fold. It can never be breezy to obliviate the idea of faith they once had. Hence, they often try to repress those dark emotions and cover them with thick layers. And grief seems to have a gravity that pulls them down.
“Trust is a Deception” does not intend to encourage unpleasant emotions to be suppressed, but it aims to illustrate the journey of reconciliation and grief.