Michael Mararian

While researching artists who have worked with the idea of fear I came across an artist called Michael Mararian. In 2008/2009 he completed a series of work about phobias, representing them quite clearly and with children as the subjects. I quite like them, even if they are very literal.

Illyngnopobia (Fear of Vertigo)

Mechanaphobia (Fear of Machinery)

Eisoptrophobia (Fear of ones own Reflection)

Athazagoraphobia (Fear of Being Forgotten)

Cleisiophobia (Fear of Being Locked in a Room)

Carnaphobia (Fear of Meat)

I particularly like the last one for the vibrantly coloured background and the expressions on the children's faces.

I think this relates nicely to my work because of the themes of fear and children. However, this expression of the two themes is a little blatant and literal, my work will probably work better if it is more subtle and subliminal than this.

EDIT: After changing my idea to making the fears upon the pages more adult and gruesome I think this artists work has become more useful than I previously thought. His literal and blatant interpretations of fears are exactly the kind of thing I need to achieve on my pages in order the scare the viewer.