Year: 2022

Medium: Photo Manipulation, 3D.

Style: Dark Surrealism

Size:  35×35 inches (90×90 cms).

Model: Eduardo Muñoz.

“Anxiety” is a digital dark surrealism photo manipulation enhanced by digital painting techniques, assembled in Adobe Photoshop. 3D elements created with Daz Studio.

anxiety /æŋˈzaɪ.ə.ti/ noun: a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome. Strong desire or concern to do something or for something to happen.

The image features one of my main characters, the businessman: it offers a stark contrast to anything related to emotions, allowing to show that the emotional turmoil can we found in each human being, beyond materialism and modern life constructs surrounding the idea of money and possessions. He is in great distress, surrounded by bold red and orange tones resembling fire, passion and urgency. His head has turned into a red balloon about to be stung by a wasp swarm coming from his chest, meaning that he’s damaging himself no matter what. To make matters worse, he has the solution to kill the wasps using the insecticide he’s holding, but that may make the room to explode as it’s filled with fire and probably gas. There’s no safe exit from this situation, and that’s how I feel when I have an anxiety attack.

This artwork is not for the faint of heart because of its bold, strong message. However, I have found that this image makes people talk about their own anxiety problems, opening conversations to make us feel for each other. Maybe its therapeutic balm was not only for me, but for everyone to see.