UNCOMMUNICATIVE

        In this short series of SFX (special effects makeup) artworks. Special effects makeup has been used to create the illusion of real-life wounds. However, these artworks are more than just a collection of realistic wounds, they carry out a more significant message to the world. The artist Tina Al Muhtashem has used this form of outlet in order to express how she is truly feeling on the inside towards society. 

 

     The main purpose of these artworks; was in fact a form of expression nonetheless, they are made to show us how at times a person would not be able to express themselves in a verbal manner. 

 

          The first artwork (phase 1) shown above shows an illusion of a girl being shot in the head, with her entire face covered in third-degree burns and scraps all around, leaving nothing but her eyes to be shown. Also shown in (phase 1), the artist has used special effects makeup to create a hole on the forehead, referring to a “gunshot wound”. The hole is made to represent the feeling of someone who has been shot in the head with a gun that caused lots of blood and pain, nevertheless, no gun was triggered. It is a form of expression to show unspoken pain as though a gun has been triggered. 

 

       The artist has connected the two artworks forming a series to represent the different stages of pain and healing, with healing comes pain, and as one heals he/she must cope with the pain that goes unspoken. The first artwork (phase1), would be a representation of the pain as a whole, the trauma, the pain, the grief, and much more. However, the second artwork (phase 2), still represents pain yet this time the pain has lessened, and the healing process has started. 

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         In the first artwork, the gunshot is an illusion to represent being shot, on the other hand still being present in the situation. The scraps and third-degree burns on the lips and nose are to represent the fact that she may feel silent, as though she cannot express herself in a verbal matter. The nose going along with it is made to represent being stuck in a claustrophobic manner. Not being able to speak, break, and just being in an overall panicked state, all one is really left with at this point in his or her eyes, is to see all, and endure the pain of not being able to express yourself in a verbal matter and being stuck with panic and sorrow. 

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        On the other hand, the second artwork (phase 2), expresses the same feeling yet this time the person is more at ease and the healing process has begun, one may breathe now. 

 

        Regardless of the healing process starting, the person still can’t find a way to verbally express herself yet. She can breathe, the gunshot has been healed, and overall, she allows herself to feel the pain that comes with healing. When the pain has been dealt with the healing process takes a toll and begins to do its magic. 

 

          Regardless, sometimes staying mute is much better for one's sanity and healing than it is for them to find a way to verbally express themselves, and so the artist has used art as a form of expression. The pain can be seen throughout quite a few of her artworks in spite of some being harsh and painful, the artist slowly expresses her healing process throughout the rest of the artworks. So the artist isn’t only showing pain, but showing healing through pain.