Rebellious Integration
Michael Barnes
"When Rebels Thaw"
"My work contains a great amount of personal narrative and metaphor. While personal meaning is embedded in the imagery, I am particularly fascinated with narratives that evolve naturally from the mind - from the subconscious. I enjoy the process of allowing the narrative and imagery to unfold as I create, versus working with a pre-conceived plan. I strive to create images that pose psychological dilemmas and create mysteries in which the viewer is challenged to solve and / or interpret. The images that emerge from my imagination often include figures - sometimes human, sometimes genetically or physically mutated or altered beasts - that are interacting with surreal or ambiguous environments. Their purpose and existence are cloaked in mystery as they are conducting mundane, seemingly mindless tasks that pose questions for the viewer as to the greater story or narrative.
My daily entertainment includes science fiction literature and cinema, record collecting - punk rock and heavy metal, growing cacti. I enjoy drawing, making prints and using my imagination to create stories. In general, I am inspired by all around me – the movies I watch, the books I read, the video games I play, the politics of my job and the greater world, my family, and my friends. My art is the center of my life where it all melts together."