The central idea of my concentration is pharmaceutical addiction depicted through art. Viewers perceive the photo as something bright and happy while a deeper meaning hides below the appealing colors. I was first inspired by Beverly Fishman’s Pills and ‘Pharma Art’ with her appealing pill sculptures. I expanded and developed on the topic by transitioning from opening the container, feeling the effects of overdose, doing it routinely, being expensive, and finally causing health related damage.

 

The exploration of my idea grew from my transition of artistically addressing pharmaceutical substances to showing how they affect people through addiction. My use of bright exciting colors and solid backgrounds brings an advertising or “candyland” feel into that of the pharmaceutical addiction theme. Photos 1, 2, and 3 depict the beginning of an addiction with the opening of the medications. Photos 4 and 5 are depicting the ‘high’ or ‘loopy’ feeling people try to achieve by overdosing on medications. The daily medicine containers in photos 6 and 7 represent the repeated and routine use of drugs while also depicting the beginning of an addiction. The dollar bills in photo 8 are there to represent the high cost and monetary effects of an addiction. Photos 9 and 10 show the increase of potential harm and illustrate the dangerous side of abusing pharmaceutical drugs. Photo 11 puts emphasis on the model showing her abusing medication, which is all hidden behind the inviting colors. Photo 12 advertises one of America's most common addictions, smoking.