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“As a producer of art I think I’m mostly inspired by the negative
or that which I perceive as being so. The nervous tension of damaged human
spirits interacting . This sense I have that people desire something deeper but
are paralyzed by their insecurities and instead cling to shallow signifiers of
human worth such as the religious following of fashion trends and the
acquisition of status symbols and money. I’m inspired to action by the existence
of so much racism and xenophobia in the world. I see a lack of warmth in the way
that people deal with each other and am guilty of that stoic or turtle shell
defense system myself, and it feels really shitty. I’m inspired by what I see as
the arrogance of different tribes of humans believing that they are able to
define the divine, and worse, believing that their way of honoring god is the
only way, to the point that they will get violent about it. Enlightenment?
Sounds like endarkenment to me. These things inspire me to counter with
something visually engaging that hopefully hints at the possibility of humans
collectively realizing a more spiritually enriching life. I try to visually
express a little honesty, compassion, vulnerability, understanding, generosity,
etc., and hope that viewers might carry that warmth with them and somehow pass
it on.As far as being inspired spiritually, my girlfriend and I just got back
from a two week roadtrip through Minnesota, The Dakotas, Wyoming & Montana, and
aside from all the American flags on SUVs and some of the scary conversations I
overheard in diners where people said things like “We have to support our
president, no matter what.”, I saw some incredibly beautiful landscape and
occurences of nature that simultaneously excited and calmed my insides. I’m
trying to keep that energy with me here in Chicago but the city isn’t really
having it. I’m already feeling the city-life tension back in my shoulders.”...
 Christopher Tavares Silva