Don't Accept That Bottle: Breakdown!
“Don’t Accept That Bottle” , previously named, “Keep An Eye On The Women Around You” was a piece that I was working on for the past 3-4 months. Made from charcoal, color pencils, and pastels, I have illustrated the dangers of being around certain men at parties and/or clubs. Getting women drunk and drugging them at parties to increase the chances of intercourse has become way too normalized despite the countless rape victims who can’t remember their night but wakes up with bruises. The overall message is to be cautious of what you’re consuming by bringing your own bottles and substances, as well as keeping an eye on the women around you.
I attempted to make the overall tone of the piece to be cold by using blues, blacks, and grays for a cool atmosphere. The three women shown in the foreground are the perfect example of what it looks like to be there for one another at a party filled with strangers. In the background are women who could no longer give consent and are taken advantage of by this embodiment of the monstrous sexual desire that a lot of men have. Written in blood, on the back wall in the piece, says “BYOB”; many people believe that it says “BYOE” as a letter is slightly covered. So what does it mean? My intent was to let my audience know to bring their own bottle, but instead people have interpreted it as “Bring Your Own Everything” or “Bring Your Own Euphoria”, which still gets my message across.
Why Did I Make This Piece?
In my previous relationship I realized that one of my biggest fears is losing the people closest to me. My girlfriend at the time went out frequently to go drink with some friends and I found myself being worried about her safety because anything can happen. I would absolutely hate it if I couldn’t be there for her if/when she needs me most but everyone tells me that I can’t save everyone and things just happens and that’s life. Perhaps they’re right, I can’t save everyone, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t try right? If I can’t be there for her nor anyone else in these situations, then maybe I can inspire people to look out for one another and be aware the dangers that may await women.
I have a lot of mixed feelings about this piece as I am not entirely sure if I like the piece, maybe I should have gone in a different direction or perhaps I shouldn’t have made it so graphic. There’s a good chance that I may turn this piece into a series and make 2-3 different pieces similar to this.
I am interested in hearing your thoughts on this piece, lemme know what you were experiencing while viewing my work!
Prints and the original piece is available in my online shop!