A Sticky Mess

Artist Statement: “A Sticky Mess” is a portrayal of one opinion of the viscid catastrophe occurring in the Middle East. Even though the wars are not fought on American soil, their aftermath affects us all.

When people initially see my project, their first reaction is always “That’s so gross!” When I tell them about the symbolism behind the piece, they say, “It’s still disgusting”. What’s disgusting? The chewed gum? War is disgusting. Afghanistan. Pakistan. Libya. Yemen. Iraq. Syria. People are dying. The death toll is rising and people are horrified by gum.