JOSHUA MIELS – IN TWO MINDS
Joshua Miels explores the emotional state of mind that we attempt to shield from society, and how a face is often a façade. For one to truly understand what someone is going through can be proven as a difficult task. When we look at someone, we believe we can read their inner emotions. A face can express an array of feelings from happiness to sadness – we can appear composed in the toughest of situations if we wear the right mask. In Two Minds deals with the actions and emotion we portray to mask the inner turmoil and emotional hardship. People give false fronts, to give the illusion that they are fine. This is particularly true with males. Men are still being asked to live up to old fashioned expectations – be strong, be brave, be protective.
Many of these things may be unattainable for individuals and this can be particularly emotionally damaging. As the poet E. E. Cummings wrote, “The greatest battle we face as human beings is the battle to protect our true selves from the self the world wants us to be”.
Joshua Miels is a contemporary artist who looks to capture the vulnerability and emotions of people that they try to hide from others. Spending countless hours, adding layer upon layer of paint, Joshua produces artworks that are not only striking but deep and powerful. Painted with predominantly oil paint, each piece starts off with a subject, but with a large amount of experimentation, each and every piece of art takes its own journey. The Artworks challenge the viewers to draw upon their own emotions and personal experiences.
