As we move on with our next segment of the tour we encounter a monument that truly marks the brink of the gardens depths. Here we see two conical spires that the pathway leads between. Atop these spires are extravagant fountains producing luminous lemon-colored liquid. Surrounding the fountain are numerous pitcher-trap plants.
The pitcher plants in this painting act as the metaphor that is mimicked by the architectural element. Pitcher plants use an attractive scent and a vibrant color to lure their prey into it’s innards. Once the prey enters, it becomes victim to the digestive acids inside. I found this process to be a fitting metaphor for political themes in the dystopian genre. The political dystopia builds its world around political corruption and deception. Oftentimes there is a great and powerful figurehead, such as Big Brother in George Orwell’s 1984.
My piece follows the dystopian trope of a society ruled by a figurehead whose polished veneer serves to hide it’s acidic interior.
By using color I illustrate the connection between the pitcher plant metaphor and the fountain. The magenta coloration on the frontal façade of the fountain mimics the color of the alluring rim on the pitcher plant. The pathway lures the viewer through the extravagant, translucent gateway, similar to how the insect is lured in by the scent of the digestive acids. The backside of the fountain is revealed to be a jagged and decaying structure.