Undergraduate Artwork
In the collection of J.H. Dozier
Grief is an intrinsic component of the human experience. Grief is universal as we’ve all experienced loss of some kind. Grief changes how we operate and interact with the world. Struck by how suddenly “we” strictly becomes “you” and “I,” we go into shock, becoming lost in denial. Overtime, bargaining manifests the healing process as we try to find ways to resurrect lost relationships. Once we realize that no solution exists, we’re faced with confronting our loss, where anger takes control.
Working through grief is an excruciating journey. As we navigate through loss, we’re forced to confront truths about ourselves and our relationships. Grief is a learning process dependent on time. It takes time to accept loss whether we face it suddenly or given time to prepare. However, with time, we begin to grow from that loss as we see the true face of our lost relationships. Regardless of whether that reflection is pristine or broken, learning to navigate grief can feel like a perilous journey.
While we can all recall and reflect on a significant loss in our lives, Truth Above Your Lies, was created out of the frustration of watching a friend lose sight of themselves in their grief. I lost someone I loved beneath the chaos of their depression. I watched them spiral with no end in sight, catching me in the crashing waves of their hopeless bargaining and crushing me with their anger. My friend experienced a traumatic loss that no living being should have to endure. Grief was not something they wanted to come out of. They tried to bury me in the process and I found myself drowning in the tides of their fury, bearing the weight of their grief as mine.