Taryn Louviere

Artist Statement

Behaviors of Stress

This body of work is a series of woodblock prints exploring the human condition under stress through narrative images portraying characters and their coping mechanisms. Each image is psychedelic and graphic sharing op-art inspired, undulating lines breaking up the stability in the environment. The backgrounds are voids filled with hostile, disembodied features interacting with the central figures. Finally, there is the individuals preferred methods of dealing with such high stress situations. There is a variety of behaviors shown, both benign such as avoiding known stressors, to more controversial such as self-harm or drug use. In small doses, when people are in severe conditions, these behaviors help get people through to more favorable situations where they no longer have the need to turn to them. The need for momentary relief, if even just mentally, whilst under long lasting pressure is a shared one amongst humans. As there are a variety of people and paths of life, the methods of gaining said relief vary. Even though some behaviors are seen as more acceptable than the others displayed through this series, at their core they are the same; a controlled action by an individual meant to distract from the anxieties they are experiencing for a specific amount of time before they have to face them again, with the ultimate goal of being better prepared mentally when they do.