Collaborating Through Pain
October 11, 2018
Opening Reception of Coaction: A Collaboritive Art Show at VALLEYARTS, 400 S. JEFFERSON ST. ORANGE, NJ
I was invited to participate in this show by the Director of Marketing, Cat Dellet, who had worked with a fellow artist and BFF of mine, Kayt Hester. I joined forces with my friend and coworker, Morgana(Morgan) Skelton to create three pieces for the exhibit.
Putting on a "good face" is something we learn throughout our lives. We are told to not let others see us cry, to suck it up, get back in the game, and to smile. It's no wonder that stress and pain manifests itself as disease, depression and chronic issues for so many. If we could open up a door to the pain that we feel and send it outward, what would it look like? What is really hidden behind our masks?
Photographer Beth Achenbach and Multi-Media Artist Morgana Skelton collaborate for the first time to create visual interpretations of what that pain might look like if it could manifest outside of us. Three subjects were interviewed and photographed by Beth, then each recorded testimonial and print was passed to Morgana, who worked on interpreting what their pain would like using etching and ink on the printed photographs.
