How to live in a country in crisis made me an artist

Hello everyone!, my name is Lucas and this is my #introduceyourself.

I am 20 years old, and I live in the country with the highest inflation in the world (1,113% in November of last year), one of the most violent countries in Latin America, the same country where the minimum wage is $ 8 per month, and that for its inhabitants, emigrating has become the only way out to a better life.

I have been studying arts for about 5 years, studying the amount of 'isms', artists, techniques, concepts, and processes; but what really inspired me to become an artist was living in a country in social, political, and economic crisis. Without pointing out the guilty ones - all obvious with a quick Google search - I want to tell you about my experience of how I survive in a country of absurdities, and how I did art.

From a very early age I started to draw superheroes from comics, cartoons, animes, etc. I had never taken it in a serious way until I was 14 years old when I entered an arts school, and I got involved with the plastic creation (even in a very basic way) and I began to paint and draw with neo-expressionist, surrealist elements, and of the new Latin American figuration.

It is not until I enter the university to continue my studies on art, and I criticize the lack of commitment of my artwork to my immediate environment, or the lack of relationship of this with my closest reality.

From this point, I begin to question the realities that make me human. I begin to approach my environment within my artistic work. In principle my family environment, and then (what is the case that I speak to you) the reality of my country. I start this new style of work in 2016, just when the statist economy of Venezuela begins to fall apart. Most certainly the same moment when many of you began to hear about this country: some as embarrassing and naive as the scarcity of toilet paper, or others of a more turbulent nuance as the murder of more than 100 young people in peaceful protests by of state security, police, army, etc.

The situation in Venezuela is extremely delicate, we must be very careful of what is said, and what is done, the right to nonviolent protest is prohibited (not in a legal framework, but totally repressed by the police).

I am very sure that what you have been able to know through news, newspapers, and other media is less than 50% of what happens in my country

For this, my protest, my act of disobedience and rebellion: making art. I have 'portrayed' the painful reality of my country with metaphors about food shortages, social adequacy and demoralization, and violence. In order to visualize elements that can go unnoticed and create from them a multiplicity of meanings, questions, and reflections.

Make a series of paintings on the significant decrease (one or two years ago it was terrible, nowadays it is even worse) of the purchasing power of food by the Venezuelan population. I had started the forced purchases of food brands that I did not like, because of the non-availability of other options, and how this surprised me when I saw the acceptance of this by most of the people who share my nationality.

I have to point out, the level of politicization and populism in Venezuela is insultingly greater than in any other country, being a worthy competitor (at least in the levels of scope and alienation) with Soviet Communist propaganda, and Nazi propaganda. (Of this perhaps speak in another post)

A fact that is little talked about in the news is the number of people in my country who can not afford even cheap food, and have to resort to garbage to eat. This, unfortunately, increases every day more. And I have to emphasize, they are not isolated facts, it is enough to go out to the street 10 minutes to realize that it is a problem that will soon become an unfortunate characteristic of this generation.

To conclude, I want to thank you if you have read this entirely. Soon I will continue writing more about my experience about being an artist in a country in crisis, and more about my work. If you have any questions, opinions, do not hesitate to ask!

I hope you liked it, and I hope to continue reading for Steemit!

All the images and texts are made by me