this painting By Van Gogh links many of my interests and peeves in one painting.INTERSTS:
Van Gogh: as a favorite artist and mental illness its presentations and treatments throughout history.
Momento Mori: ( Latin translation: remember you are mortal) as a theme in art and as a motto ( "short, suggestive expression of a guiding principle") for living and creating.
Paradox: "an anomalous juxtaposition of incongruous ideas for the sake of striking exposition or unexpected insight"
PEEVES:
Second Hand Smoke: This painting personify the injustice of secondhand smoke. according to a CDC fact sheet " An estimated 49,000 of tobacco-related deaths are the result of secondhand smoke exposure."
Smoking: (especially after its already killed you). I am not opposed the the use of the occassional tobaco product in recreation (paradoxically "restoration to health"). My Peeve with smoking has to do with the "Disparities" among those who are addicted to smoking and suffer from the myriads of related diseases. According to a 2001 CDC report in 1999 The prevalence of smoking was highest among adults living below the poverty level 33.1% and lowest among those living at or above the poverty level 23.4%. Similarly Education levels have direct correlation with smoking 34% of adults with less than high school education smoke, this number reduces to 29% with a high school education and to just 11% of adults with 16 years or more.
(Healthy people 2010)
