Enclosed Open Mindedness
Matilda (14)

I called my artwork 'Enclosed Open Mindedness' because I am aiming to convey the idea of how difficult it is to be open minded when there is pressure all around to conform to an idea or image.

It is extremely hard not to shut certain concepts out in the process of trying to be open-minded. I have shown open mindedness, peace and tolerance by using bright, positive imagery, which gives an impression of happiness and content. This is encased in a glass dome, which represents how fragile, delicate and vulnerable the concepts of acceptance and open mindedness are.

The dome is surrounded by sharp, piercing discrimination, prejudice and conflict, which are causing the dome to splinter. The edge of the dome is lifted, as the idea of open mindedness is to not shut an idea out; there is a 'welcome' mat at the edge because everyone is welcome to embrace open mindedness/ Being so open, however, causes a problem: a bomb, representing prejudice, is nestled under the edge of the dome. This shows that by being open-minded you can't help but become a target for those who discriminate and cause tension because by shutting out and rejecting the idea of prejudice you are being, to a degree, close-minded.

I think my work is spiritual because it portrays a sense of how open mindedness can be restrictive but in an abstract way and using symbolism as representation.