Temptation
By Addison Reed
Artist’s Statement: Temptation
The inspiration for "Temptation" came from the biblical story of Adam and Eve. According to the story, Adam and Eve were instructed not to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge, but were tempted by the serpent, thereby creating original sin.
The color choices also originated from biblical meaning. According to the Bible, blue represents divine law, red symbolizes humanity, and yellow signifies impurity. The contrast between the blue backdrop, the red apple skin, and the yellow core lures the viewer's eye to the center. The divide between the colors also symbolizes the separation between God and humans that was brought on by the eating of the forbidden fruit.
My choice to work with oil pastels relates to a modern-day form of greed: Economic greed revolving around crude oil. As geopolitical tensions rise, oil-abundant nations take advantage of their counterparts without oil reserves. This leads oil-abundant countries to become petro-aggressive, with foreign policy that favors only their interests.
Essentially, my work critiques humanity’s tendency to give in to temptation and greed.
Addison Reed is a senior at Agnes Irwin in Radnor, PA, and has loved creating art her whole life. She is the co-head of her school's art magazine and encourages everyone freely express themselves without fear of judgment. In college, she hopes to continue her creativity through a major in architecture.
