UNDRGRND ARTIST: PEGi
FEBRUARY 4TH, 2023
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Only when we overcome our fears are we truly free.
This is why Istanbul artist PEGi focuses on early childhood fears.
“At some point in my life,” PEGi says, “I became obsessed with the idea of freedom. I still am, in a more mature way. I realized other than more physical elements like money and law, fear is what limits people the most.”
In her series, First Fears, PEGi focuses on our earliest fears: darkness, lightning, clowns, being home alone, monsters under our bed, and (of course) broccoli.
“I wanted to remember our first fears funnily, and see how silly they were. So that we can question current ones and see if they are worth being frightened of. Also, I love broccoli but I used to be scared of some things which are in the series!”
Through these beautiful 3D, stop-motion pieces of art, the audience transports back to the fundamental fears of early childhood. The stop-motion adds a nightmarish quality to each scene making the viewer feel trapped, even claustrophobic. We’re just waiting to wake up from these nightmares.
And while some of her work focuses on scenes where the character is in trouble or clenched in the grips of fear, PEGi is very clear about the intent of her work.
“Unfortunate Space series",” she says, “looks kind of sad, maybe you feel sorry for the character. But I was thinking of making a series that despite something terrible happening, the main character always comes back in the next episode anyway. At the creation time of the series, I was facing some health issues and in every test result, I said it can't get worse, but it did. Was hard and unexpected. All of us have ups and downs but we heal, and get stronger. Now I'm all better! So don't feel sorry for the little guy in space, he'll be okay.”
While focused on fear, it’s the distance from those fears now that make you realize how much you’ve grown or survived. This should encourage us all.
Throughout our lives, we will face fears, challenges, maybe even life-or-death situations in space. But, PEGi’s work reminds us our perseverance and growth determine who we become after these situations.
