Hyperstimulation

2017 - 2019

Hyperstimulation is a series of anaglyph photographs that use overlapping imagery and bright, vivid color to create conversation by inducing the overwhelming feeling of anxiety. Hyperstimulation is a visual representation of a "stress response," which is the physiological action that the body takes in a fight or flight situation. Although stress responses take many forms, visual hyperstimulation usually manifests as ghosted images, shimmers, blurs, and can feel as if one is in a surreal and dreamlike state.

Over 40 million Americans over the age of eighteen have anxiety disorder, which is roughly 18% of the adults in this country. It is the disorder of the highly organized and successful person. Famous people who have anxiety disorder include Chance the Rapper, Adele, Jennifer Lawrence, Oprah, and more. Anxiety is typically a normal reaction to stress, however a number of factors can turn it into a disorder. These may include genetic, psychological, environmental, and developmental factors, and also can run in families. Even though it’s typically a minor situation, the body goes through a stress response every time that it perceives something as a threat. This is a positive situation when you are actually in danger, however it becomes negative when anxiety disorder makes you believe that you are always in danger.

Hyperstimulation has duality - the images as they are normally viewed are shown the way that people with anxiety disorder are typically viewed - bright, positive, and overall together. However, when viewed with the 3D glasses, the work takes on a different form. By the brain rapidly flickering between both images, a stress response is induced in the viewer - usually within about one minute. This creates a space for conversation and empathy for the viewers who have not experienced stress responses at that level.

Hyperstimulation has over 500 individual images and combinations. The images are inkjet transfer process photography on birch with gold leaf edges. Selections from Hyperstimulation Fusion are available for exhibition - contact for more information.