"Persistence of Agony" Documentation

“Persistence of Agony” is an homage (in name alone) to Dali’s master opus “Persistence of Memory”. “Persistence of Agony” depicts an immense, sparkling gem entrenched in white shapes, with a single tear drooping downwards. The flat graphics insinuate an entrapment by gossamer; the gleaming gem stuck within a sort of web of white and blue. Celebrity and coercion play a pivotal role in the concept of the piece, portrayed as an audience of possible homunculi seen surrounding the jewel, potentially bespectacled by its beauty. Akin to a belabored pop star or exploited trafficking victim, the piece stands to comment on industries that prioritize or even thrive off the infringement of one’s well being in exchange for profit.