Exhibition Information

Jerome Tiunayan, BFA Exhibition: Warts and All
December 8-14, 2016

"Traumatic childhood experiences have proven to be powerfully transformative throughout my life, begetting prolonged, often unexpected consequences. Early familial dynamics and ingrained sexual repression linger as ever-present themes, the effects of which are becoming seemingly more burdening and less clandestine with age. This body of work explores the development and consequences of these themes through a series of figurative ink drawings and large-scale paintings. Grotesque bodily deformities that progress in size and quantity are prevalent throughout. Functioning similarly to the growth and spread of a contagious illness, they act as an outward manifestation of an internal conflict.

By taking an approach similar to that of the graphic novels I devoured as a child, I treat each piece as a panel from a disjointed narrative. The viewer is invited into the world of the singular character afflicted by this bizarre condition, and given an opportunity to witness moments of physical and emotional intimacy. Consequently, upon seeing the work, the viewer is placed in a position to cast judgment, deciding if the character should be empathized with or shunned."

Jerome Tiunayan