Stephen Durkin

Having an audience is an important, and arguably, definitive aspect of any art piece. If a piece is meant to have an audience pulled from a population of strangers, then there must be something about its aesthetic that draws viewers. The goal is to engage the viewer using art, so they can then explore the themes and ideas being expressed by the piece (both those ideas they have interpreted, and those which the artist meant to express).

In my attempt to attract a viewer, and elicit some immediate response, I will often use macabre or potentially shocking imagery. I feel that this not only secures the attention of a viewer but is also appropriate when the piece is an attempt to depict, and discuss, painful or controversial themes. However, while the imagery itself may be macabre, I work to present it in an aesthetically appealing manner. I seek to create some beauty in the macabre, or grotesque. I feel like this helps to keep viewers engaged after their initial, attention-gaining shock.