The Year of the Rat.
A sophomore year illustration project I completed with the prompt of exploring visual metaphors with the theme “Year of The Rat” and added challenge of a limited color palette. Each illustration is meant to capture one of the metaphoric elements, in order: juxtaposition, fusion, and replacement.
Juxtaposition explanation: a rat, a classic depiction of squalor and filth, depicted amongst some familiar symbols of femininity and beauty. Mixed media, 2020.
Fusion explanation: in keeping with the historic-feeling theme set previously, a rat dressed nicely sits before framed portraits of a rat in a suit and of herself and a smaller, younger rat. Beside her as she waits is a decanter styled like a rodent's water bottle and glass of wine. Mixed Media, 2020.
Replacement explanation: a woman, modeled after the one from Christoffer Eckersberg's "A nude woman doing her hair before a mirror" is seen fixing her hair as her reflection, a rat, washes their bald face. Mixed media, 2020.