Gregors Room

 

Artist Statement:

    The small sculpture constructed of paper, water, and inks make up a scene from a novel written by Franz Kafka. The title of the book, Metamorphosis tells the story of a salesman Gregor Samsa. He wakes up one morning to find himself inexplicably transformed into a huge insect. He struggles with this new adjustment. Rightfully so considering he is now a large bug that society could never accept. This book is rather sad and gloomy. When reading back over the book I feel an overwhelming shadow over me. Trapped in his room, scared to be seen by his family. We spend most of the time in his room while reading the book. While reading you don’t get the impression that his room is decorated or as much light in the room. Maybe a lamp and a single-window but, the window is covered with a blind not allowing in much light. I feel that most if not all furniture and minimal decorations that are in the room are there due to his parents' choice of placement. Nothing in the room is necessarily personal to him. It is quite sad too to be living in a space in which it doesn't reflect you. So, to be a large bug in a room and the room be as bare as it is. Well, that's honestly one of the most depressing things I could fathom being in. 

That being said, the choice of colour pallet is to reflects the depressing state of the room. Old neglected furniture that wasn't wanted but his room needed to be filled. I imagined a dresser to be present in the room as well but did not include that. Rather I placed a wall-like structure to show what the room would feel like. The patchy paint job with rundown art hung in old frames and a dirty dusty baseboard. I see this room as a dirty space but, not due to the person living in it rather, the lack of love and attention you would need to give to space to upkeep its look. The room and Gregor are both neglected and not given priority. Something that just exists in the midst of others.

To represent Gregor I made a pair of pants. Something he can no longer fit in. As he is now a large bug. To see something that you have outgrown can be hard sometimes or sentimental depending on the reasoning for you outgrown them. In this case, it is not sentimental. It was not his choice to be a large bug. However, there may be a deeper meaning to this situation of him turning into a bug. I believe that. He might not even have turned into a bug and might just feel like a nasty little critter who isn't seen. But to simply emulate the room, this sculpture shows the neglect he felt. The lack of love and being seen by who should love him unconditionally, his family.