Simkins’ figures depict conventional and universal representatives of modern society, ranging from the crying girl to the praised athlete. The collaged embodiments are a reflection of the pressure and expectations society has on people.  The size pays tribute to the subject, acting almost as a shrine; though it feels as if the image is easily disposable as it’s pieces are pinned to the wall. We ask ourselves, can this power of a person be taken down, stripped and lost?

 

The current trial of Oscar Pistorius, whom the artist met and painted in 2011, eerily resounds with the work as an indication of how someone can go from hero to zero in a matter of days, as well as the role we have as a society in aiding both sides of the coin. Bringing into question our own morality and human fragility in general.