Overwintering

• In Event: 476 - Section on Sociology of Culture Paper Session. Culture and (In)security in the 21st Century

Abstract

Robyn O’Neil creates epic works of art in the contemporary age produced by mechanical pencil. Her drawings depict a sinister snowglobe world, deconstructed. Instead of whimsical or wistful scenes, they contain episodes of violence and disaster. Her landscapes are made from the raw material of dreams, the fluids of the subconscious, and the particular flavors of fear and delight that can only be inspired by the colder months of the year. This paper focuses on a series of the artist’s drawings from roughly 2004 – 2012. The set of works depicts a population composed of middle-aged men, all dressed in black sweatsuits, as they face harsh weather conditions, ecological nightmares, attacks from fellow men, and alienation.

Author

• Lindsey A. Freeman, State University of New York-Buffalo