I Dreamt of Metathesiophobia

“I dreamt of Metathesiophobia” is a vertical, 3-foot by 7-foot oil on canvas painting with actual bubblegum dotted around the image. The painting features bloody teeth falling in a space of bright pink and green gradients. The painting references the common dream where your teeth fall out. This dream can mean several things, such as: the feeling of losing control, fearing change, feeling anxious and feeling unhealthy. All these feelings can induce anxiety and the blood represents a harsher, more anxious version of falling teeth. I chewed 120 pieces of bubblegum that includes my own teeth marks in them and placed them on the canvas. I want to provide a sensory addition to the image, where you can still smell the bubblegum on the canvas. This brings even more depth into the exhibit to include smell with triggers memories quicker than any other sense. I wanted to bring back our memories of childhood where we had limited control over our lives. Metathesiophobia is the fear of losing control. We work hard to gain control over as much of our lives as we can. Pushing and pulling every aspect around us to make it how we want it. Eventually we need to give up that feeling of control over the outside world and realize that our only scope of control is over ourselves; how we act, think, feel and react. The pink bubblegum, mixing in with the pink of the gradient, also serves as a signature; specimens of my DNA spread across the canvas, hoping that I can control who the painting is attributed to long after I am gone.