“Don’t Stop Playing”

By Amit Aviv

(click to enlarge)

Medium of Artwork:

Sculpture: Couch, foam, fabric, embroidered patches

Dimension of Artwork:

24”, 74”, 32”

Artist Statement

“How does the unconscious process transform pain, loss, and memory into profound and evocative artistic expression? Unassumingly, gradually, and through obsession. I originally thought that my interest in certain games was purely aesthetic, but as more work began to emerge, I reflected on when I started playing them so fervently. I realized that unconsciously, I had spent around a year playing these games to cope. Games and puzzles that require concentration and calculation have a way of taking over any space in my brain that might hold those heavier thoughts. That is, my brain adopted a coping mechanism, disguised it by providing me alternative reasons for its existence in my life, and informed my work quietly until it was staring me right in the face. I unknowingly created my own confrontation. It is a process of revelation and of our brains playing for the long haul, hoping that when all is revealed, we are ready to consciously deal with it. Creating this couch resulted from over a year of unconscious processing, and it now offers itself as an object to use in the process of coping, one to sink into and distract yourself with. This interactive sudoku couch has every right to be an odd and enticing object, only. However, this unlikely combination of furniture and game brings together physical comfort and focused distraction, and at its full depth, stands as an ode to the seemingly trivial way I have dealt with trauma.”