Insomnia - Ekphrasis

When I first looked at this bust, I was fascinated. It looked broken in such an aesthetically pleasing way that you almost felt like it was done on purpose. I knew I wanted to make this bust a focal point - no other elements, no distractions- but I wasn’t sure which direction I wanted to take it. The first thing you are drawn to are the lips. The genius mason behind this bust perfectly captured the idea of romance.  So I had considered a pink background with the title “First Kiss.” I thought of how we only remember bits and pieces of our first kiss, some things are blurry, while others remain perfectly clear. But after taking some time to think about it, I found myself pulled in another direction.   
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I kept circling back to how some of his vital senses and even his consciousness were gone - no thought, no sight, no sound. The concept of being “brain dead” - which I typically feel after sleep deprivation - overwhelmed me. I sought to capture the idea of staying up late with your thoughts swirling, until you are just there, desperately trying to fade into sleep. As a finishing touch for this representation of “Insomnia”, I applied a black glitter background to imitate the beauty and depth of the night sky. 

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