Leaving Civilization | Teen Ink

Leaving Civilization

January 6, 2016
By MarcusMac BRONZE, Menahga, Minnesota
MarcusMac BRONZE, Menahga, Minnesota
4 articles 0 photos 0 comments

All of the colors in this painting make it almost impossible to describe, with different shades of green, purple, yellow, blue, white, orange, pink, gray, and red, and so many variations of each color. There are colorful lights that shine on the painting from above, constantly changing color, making the colors of the painting change with the shifting of the lights. There is no end to this painting. Every time I look at it, I see something new. I will never be able to fully describe this painting, but I will try.

On the left side of this painting are what appear to be city-like structures, with towering buildings of many shapes and sizes. I interpret the buildings as civilization, with due dates and stress. This painting is like a book. It begs to be read, from left to right, like a story. All throughout this painting are many different kinds of eyes all watching me. As I start to look more closely to the right side, I see fields and mushrooms. This displays the move from civilization, away from all of its clutter and stress, into a wild and free forest. The painting slowly morphs into chaos the farther right you look. I am drawn to this side, to the chaos of the forest, and am unsettled by the due dates and constant work of the city. In this forest there is so much to see, from mushroom faces, to eyes, to fish of every shape and size. I see a green person holding a flower. She is a free and happy person. I see an acid trip in action in this painting. (Disclaimer: Drugs are not the way I would choose to enjoy the woods, but I felt were best way to describe this painting.) 


I look into the eyes abundant throughout the painting, and all I can think is "someone's watching… Big Brother is watching." Although I have escaped the city, the city never leaves my mind. No matter where I go I can never forget what I still “Have To Do.”  Big Brother is always there, in the back of my mind. Always wanting me to “Come Back” and “Get To Work.”  I feel like the people behind the eyes on the left of the painting want to be free in the woods, and yet they stay in the city, with all of its due date and stress. They work  continuously, trying to accomplish their tasks before the due date. Since they choose not to escape, they try to make it so that I can't either.


This painting is a swirling vortex of color, like a strange dream. I hear the fish as they swirl around the shifting, colorful landscape. I smell the deep woods on the right. I wish that I could walk into those deep woods to relieve the stress and never come back. The colorful water flows around me, always changing color. I taste colorful sorbet, mixed with cotton candy, skittles, and gummy bears. Now that I look closer at the man in the mushroom, he looks content, just looking out and leaning against the window frame. I want to be that man in this wonderful, interesting world. I want to get away from it all, and enjoy the beautiful woods. I hear him inhale the scent of this strange place.


I fall down the rabbit hole into the new world that this painting offers. It may be confusing place, but that is the beauty of it; you are never sure what you will see next. Even so, the eyes of Big Brother are always watching, just waiting. When you are finally at peace BOOM. You look down at a pile of homework and college applications, Due Tomorrow.


The author's comments:

A painting inspired me to write my piece.


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