Trapped in the Box: Social Movements in Context Project
Artist Statement: Struggling with addiction can already be hard, without the degrading labels. As someone who has struggled with both mental health and addiction I have seen the way that society has boxed us in. Being trapped in a box means being labeled and when you're labeled it's very difficult to get out of it. Addiction is a struggle that needs to be worked through by the addict themselves. Plenty of people in our society including myself have battled with the ongoing pressure from society to get better. It's not always that easy but in this project it shows that addiction is a prison where the key is on the inside. Being pushed into a box can give you the perception that you will never get better, which is the “trapped”. Recently a person very close to me has decided to start the trail of sobriety. He came to the realization that no matter how many labels you have you are not just what people think of you. After years of battling addiction it was his decision to get sobered up. I've never been more proud and I know he can do it. My inspiration behind “Trapped in the Box” is to show society how addiction can be degrading and maybe make people think before they trap others in a box.
OpEd: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1M4NB0cn4VR-luiroFmryrOCD1T3tNBRWn7fQzhvFgKQ/edit
Reflection:
OpEd: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1M4NB0cn4VR-luiroFmryrOCD1T3tNBRWn7fQzhvFgKQ/edit
Reflection: