Interviews with Escapists (2011)
Life is complicated and everyone needs to escape every now and then. But from what, and to where?
Through a series of interviews, Karley has explored people’s personal experiences and opinions on escapism. Karley has then translated the interviews into bold abstract art works. Each art work tells a story intended to evoke emotions through imagery and through the use of colour.
Some interpret the popularity of escapism as a sign that people are unhappy with the lives they are leading. In contrast some people challenge the idea that escapism is
exclusively negative and that it is a way of refocusing one’s attention on things pleasant or enjoyable, as opposed to the hard realities of the everyday world.
The idea for this project started more than 3 years ago when Karley was going through a tough time in her life. Through this she started to recognise her own thoughts about
escapism. Karley then started to question how other people view or experience
escapism. Are they aware of their own escapism? Are they addicted to their form of
escapism? Why do we do it and is it practiced by everyone?
Karley’s interpretation of the interviews focuses on the emotion, the feeling and the place the interviewee desires to be. She uses bold abstract imagery such as clouds
disguised as trees, coloured ribbons, geometric shapes and words. Her interpretation looks almost like a fantasy place, the place people might think of when they want to
escape. This fantasy place is a colourful world of seemingly happiness, however
sometimes that place is shadowed with darkness. Karley’s use of colour isn’t to confuse the viewer but to embellish the sometimes dark topic and the way it can be interpreted.
Some of the people who participated in this project are known to Karley. Some were recommended to participate through friends, and others were strangers Karley met on the street.
Each participant was asked the same 12 questions. They were also asked to give an insight to their life - past and present. The questions included:
- What does the word Escapism mean to you?
- What kind of escapism have you indulged in lately? And have you ever experienced going beyond moderation in daydreaming or escapism?
- Describe your personality in 1 or 2 words
- Do you have an indulgence or addiction? If so what is it?
- Is there a place you regularly visit when you need to escape? Where is this place and why do you keep going back?
Please note that some names have been changed to protect identities. The writings in this book are excerpts from Karley’s blog and provide an insight into the subject’s life and experiences with escapism.