Favela

Sarah Godden

ARTIST STATEMENT

My piece, “Favelas” depicts poverty and the way in which people romanticize third world countries.  It is one of several other pieces in my concentration for my AP drawing portfolio that combines gouache, cut magazines, and colored pencil to give it a bright and vibrant appearance.  The bright colors make the living conditions look romanticized and though they appear beautiful, the impoverished people face daily challenges of filling their basic needs.  I also chose to replace the people with various animals, in this piece monkeys, because humans tend to sympathize for animals more than they do people.  The monkeys are left as negative space because it is easy to visualize the beautiful scenery and block out the reality of individuals who actually have to live there must deal with.  
As an artist, I have really enjoyed working with color.  I have experimented a lot with watercolor, using a limited amount of  water to make the colors brighter and more vibrant.