A Modern Tragedy: Addiction, Anxiety, and the American Adolescent grew from me using my art as tool to work through the realization that my mother will never be the same as she was before her addiction. I refer to this process as active grief; which I define as grieving an older version of someone who is still physically here. It is the loss of what someone once was. The central piece of my show is a film photography series about my mother's addiction and how it affects my life. It is intentionally printed dark so that the viewer must focus hard to view it. I did this to engage the viewer and entice them away from my captions long enough to view the work. The surrounding two pieces are my emotional response to the photography series. They are on fabric, which is a medium that provides a healing process for me. The technical process of mending and surface quality helps me define and relay the complex feeling and situation I am in. My goal with my work is to open a dialogue about the effects of addiction on a family. I want other kids of addicts to know that it is okay to not want a relationship with a parent and that it is okay to be unsure of your feelings towards them.
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A Modern Tragedy: Addiction, Anxiety and the American Adolescent
“Eat your heart out, Momma!”
-Sandy Burton, home video, c. 1992
2019
Mixed Media -
A Modern Tragedy: Addiction, Anxiety and the American Adolescent
2008: My stepfather leaves me in a trailer during a storm, 2 days after his 4th trip to rehab. 2 people in the area died.
2019
Mixed Media -
A Modern Tragedy: Addiction, Anxiety and the American Adolescent
2010: My stepfather leaves my mother homeless, her harder substance abuse begins. I am left living on my aunt’s couch for 2 years.
2019
Mixed Media -
A Modern Tragedy: Addiction, Anxiety and the American Adolescent
2018: I often blackout in the shower while trying to calm down anxiety attacks. I cannot take anti-anxiety medication, it started my mother’s substance abuse.
2019
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A Modern Tragedy: Addiction, Anxiety and the American Adolescent
…
2019
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A Modern Tragedy: Addiction, Anxiety and the American Adolescent
Destany Faye Burton, Born June 3rd, 1998
2 months after my mother turned 18
2019
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A Modern Tragedy: Addiction, Anxiety and the American Adolescent
Sandy & Destany, Easter 2001
Ages 20 and 2
2019
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A Modern Tragedy: Addiction, Anxiety and the American Adolescent
My mother’s mugshot 4/10/2018
-Possession of a controlled substance, cocaine, felony
Bond: &20,000
2019
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A Modern Tragedy: Addiction, Anxiety and the American Adolescent
4/16/18
My mother spends her 38th birthday in Jail
2019
Mixed Media -
A Modern Tragedy: Addiction, Anxiety and the American Adolescent
2019
Mixed Media -
A Modern Tragedy: Addiction, Anxiety and the American Adolescent
2019
Mixed Media
