Zenon Evans
Death by Balloon

AwardHonorable Mention

SchoolSt. Ignatius High School

CityCleveland, Ohio

TeacherPam Heller

InternShrey Shaw

MediumMixed Media

Artist's Statement

The piece was inspired by the description that an aneurysm is the result of a weak spot in an artery that causes a "ballooning" effect. The skull and the obituaries represent a sense of morbidity, due to the often fatal nature of brain aneurysms. The details on the skull symbolize the veins running through the head, leading into the brain. The hot-air balloon, which is exploding, represents the aneurysm itself, pouring onto the newspaper, which serves a secondary purpose, symbolizing the information of the brain being covered with blood. Also, the newspaper is broken into many parts in order to show the extent of damage done by the aneurysm.