IV / MY THREE BRAINS (in love & war) by Eden Ariston in Geelong

"Taking creative inspiration from an infographic provided by her therapist, Ariston has made four paintings. The infographic theorises how the 3 levels of the brain are supposed to function to receive and process information and consequently form beliefs and ideas, then explains how they work against each other or fragment when an individual has experienced trauma. Ariston has interpreted how this applies to her neurodivergent mind, unpacking how each level of brain function informs and influences her sense of self. While painting, she meditated on each level individually to develop an abstract expression of the feelings and thoughts that arose. Her process also involved sourcing scrap timber and linen, building the frames and stretching the canvas herself to achieve sustainability and self-sufficiency. Ultimately, the work explores how the dysfunction of a traumatised brain hinders the artists’ perception of herself as an individual and complicates her often-opposing desire to belong. A brief outline of the thought behind each painting; I / BRAIN STEM; Messy, dangerous. Violent colours. Fear, exploration of fight/flight. Immediate sensations and responses. II / LIMBIC SYSTEM; Monochrome colour palette, bursts of cool colours to represent emotional expression. Anxiety as the result of this emotional thought without logical intervention. III / NEOCORTEX; Attempts at self-soothing, rationalising negative thoughts. Doing the work to grow, repair trauma and undo intergenerational damage. IV / MY THREE BRAINS (in love & war); Ariston’s experience as a neurodivergent person processing trauma through the lens of a fragmented brain. All 3 levels at war but also intrinsically linked, unable to exist without each other, but struggling to work harmoniously. The tension between each level and how that affects her internal thought processes and the relationship she has with others and herself."