18 x 24 in; Graphite

Inspired by Studio Ghibli’s “Howl’s Moving Castle” and the recurring environmental theme of Hayao Miyazaki’s work, I engaged myself in the ongoing discussion of overconsumption and materialistic lifestyles. Whether it be board games encouraging players to expand an already large estate or the name brand clothes we notice immediately on others, society has both subtle and blatant ways of convincing us that our value as individuals is based on what we own. Even though we tend to collect things we consider valuable, a materialistic dependency only leads to the accumulation of trash and the loss of self-respect. I created this piece as a reminder to oneself that material goods don’t last forever and that we need to reconsider what is truly valuable to us.

*self-directed exploration