Trying to describe family life inside the hyper-controlled drama of domestic violence is like trying to explain a cult film to someone who doesn’t understand the genre. In these artworks an empty chair invites the viewer to imagine closely observing the addicted family with all of its complications. These artworks are about role playing in a family drama directed by an individual with an addiction and an anxious drive to orchestrate and manipulate others in order to control the outcome. But this is not entertainment, this is never-ending family trauma, gaslighting and scapegoating. In these artworks I attempt to unravel the complexity of this generational sickness and what it means to escape.

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Instagram: @elizabeth_matthews_art