Prelude:

Drake. Rachel McAdams. Justin Bieber. Shay Mitchell. The Ryans (Gosling and Reynolds). Nelly Furtado. Alanis Morisette. Carly Rae Jepsen. Avril Lavigne. Seth Rogen. Thank you Canada.

Back in 2017 I was taking a trip to Miami and I had a friend that was living there. I told him that I was going to be there and he proposed meeting up for some tea. I loved this because it was the last thing I’d expected him to say. It was so random and so ridiculous. He went on to become an artist. This does not surprise me.

Write Up:

Surrealism: a 20th-century avant-garde movement in art and literature which sought to release the creative potential of the unconscious mind, for example by the irrational juxtaposition of images.

I love surrealism. It’s the literal essence of humanity: being ‘irrational.’ Irrational in quotes because irrational is the norm. People are predictably irrational. Behavioral economics is an excellent branch of economics to study if you need any proof of this. Surrealism is a little bit of this and a little bit of that. We don’t question it, we accept it as is. There are no limits and there are no boundaries. It’s complete chaos in its most raw form. It’s spontaneous. It doesn’t need to be explained. Whether or not we are on board, it happens.

If you want a traditional art example of surrealism most would point you to Salvador Dali. If you want a JPEG art example of surrealism, I’ll point you to Oak. Observe below:

The name ‘Boys Ain’t Shit’ feels subversive. The surrounding would suggest the subject is in a pool, but I believe that is outer space is it not? Why is there a spot on her back? Outer space makes me think of the universe. If I may observe, it does seem like the model’s butt is in the center of the universe. Are you saying something here Oak? Let’s move on to the next photo.

Relative to the model that man is diminutive. Interesting that you put him in a suit, Oak. Another very conspicuous butt I see. How did the wall crack? He didn’t do it. The point of impact is below his head. Did he put her on a pedestal? Think that she was a preternatural being only to be disappointed when he finally learned the truth? Was he even lucky enough to learn the truth? Is there an objective truth? I’m unsure. She’s so big. She’s omnipresent. She has his full attention, right? His nose is up against her body. He can’t see anything besides her. He can’t see anything period. He’s blinded by her. But shattered dreams? That’s harsh, Oak. How many dreams were shattered? Just his? Is he just a representation? There’s others. I know there’s others. He’s never met her. He’s only ever seen her. She controls him though. She has all the power. Is there a right decision? What should he do? What should I do? Just move on? Forget about them? Write them off as a distraction? I keep coming back. It’s the only way I feel motivated. I’ve tried to give it up. I feel lost without it though, Oak. I want to experience it. I get it, I get it. It’s superficial. I don’t care if everyone is telling me I’ll be disappointed. I want to find out on my own. I want my dreams to be shattered. It’s the only way I’ll ever know. No one is telling me any of this. I’m telling myself all of this and then blaming other people. I control my own destiny and I seem to choose shattered dreams.

If you got through that and you’re confused. It’s okay. I’m confused. It felt cathartic though. Oak’s work is profound. It elicited whatever creative exercise I performed in the preceding paragraph. Surrealism just hits hard.

I’ll end with the following quote:

‘Every relationship is fundamentally a power struggle, and the individual in power is whoever likes the other person less.’

-Chuck Klosterman in his 2003 book ‘Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs’

Postlude

Oak Arrow is a Digital Collage Artist based in British Columbia, Canada

You can find Oak on Twitter Here

Oak’s work can be found on KnownOrigin, Foundation, MakersPlace, and Objkt

While you’re here, I host a Twitter Space every Sunday at 2 PM EST with Guido Disalle and Max. If you’re interested in Photography, come join us! We typically feature a handful of speakers and open the floor to the audience to come up and ask questions.

Prelude:

Drake. Rachel McAdams. Justin Bieber. Shay Mitchell. The Ryans (Gosling and Reynolds). Nelly Furtado. Alanis Morisette. Carly Rae Jepsen. Avril Lavigne. Seth Rogen. Thank you Canada.

Back in 2017 I was taking a trip to Miami and I had a friend that was living there. I told him that I was going to be there and he proposed meeting up for some tea. I loved this because it was the last thing I’d expected him to say. It was so random and so ridiculous. He went on to become an artist. This does not surprise me.

Write Up:

Surrealism: a 20th-century avant-garde movement in art and literature which sought to release the creative potential of the unconscious mind, for example by the irrational juxtaposition of images.

I love surrealism. It’s the literal essence of humanity: being ‘irrational.’ Irrational in quotes because irrational is the norm. People are predictably irrational. Behavioral economics is an excellent branch of economics to study if you need any proof of this. Surrealism is a little bit of this and a little bit of that. We don’t question it, we accept it as is. There are no limits and there are no boundaries. It’s complete chaos in its most raw form. It’s spontaneous. It doesn’t need to be explained. Whether or not we are on board, it happens.

If you want a traditional art example of surrealism most would point you to Salvador Dali. If you want a JPEG art example of surrealism, I’ll point you to Oak. Observe below:

The name ‘Boys Ain’t Shit’ feels subversive. The surrounding would suggest the subject is in a pool, but I believe that is outer space is it not? Why is there a spot on her back? Outer space makes me think of the universe. If I may observe, it does seem like the model’s butt is in the center of the universe. Are you saying something here Oak? Let’s move on to the next photo.

Relative to the model that man is diminutive. Interesting that you put him in a suit, Oak. Another very conspicuous butt I see. How did the wall crack? He didn’t do it. The point of impact is below his head. Did he put her on a pedestal? Think that she was a preternatural being only to be disappointed when he finally learned the truth? Was he even lucky enough to learn the truth? Is there an objective truth? I’m unsure. She’s so big. She’s omnipresent. She has his full attention, right? His nose is up against her body. He can’t see anything besides her. He can’t see anything period. He’s blinded by her. But shattered dreams? That’s harsh, Oak. How many dreams were shattered? Just his? Is he just a representation? There’s others. I know there’s others. He’s never met her. He’s only ever seen her. She controls him though. She has all the power. Is there a right decision? What should he do? What should I do? Just move on? Forget about them? Write them off as a distraction? I keep coming back. It’s the only way I feel motivated. I’ve tried to give it up. I feel lost without it though, Oak. I want to experience it. I get it, I get it. It’s superficial. I don’t care if everyone is telling me I’ll be disappointed. I want to find out on my own. I want my dreams to be shattered. It’s the only way I’ll ever know. No one is telling me any of this. I’m telling myself all of this and then blaming other people. I control my own destiny and I seem to choose shattered dreams.

If you got through that and you’re confused. It’s okay. I’m confused. It felt cathartic though. Oak’s work is profound. It elicited whatever creative exercise I performed in the preceding paragraph. Surrealism just hits hard.

I’ll end with the following quote:

‘Every relationship is fundamentally a power struggle, and the individual in power is whoever likes the other person less.’

-Chuck Klosterman in his 2003 book ‘Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs’

Postlude

Oak Arrow is a Digital Collage Artist based in British Columbia, Canada

You can find Oak on Twitter Here

Oak’s work can be found on KnownOrigin, Foundation, MakersPlace, and Objkt

While you’re here, I host a Twitter Space every Sunday at 2 PM EST with Guido Disalle and Max. If you’re interested in Photography, come join us! We typically feature a handful of speakers and open the floor to the audience to come up and ask questions.