Woodens Raymond

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Imagine a future where you can become a billion-dollar athlete, a trophy for your family, and a symbol of generational wealth—but it all falls apart because of a series of poor decisions.

Through this premise, I explore the cause and effect of athletic success and the self-destruction of careers through off-the-court actions. To visualize this, I created a collection of ten works. Nine were digitally constructed through photography, digital painting, and photo manipulation. The tenth piece was created using cast acrylic and involves the destruction of the preceding works, transforming the idea that destruction can ultimately lead to rebuilding.

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Across the series, I use vibrant color to represent the energy and fame surrounding professional athletes, while incorporating irony through distortion, fragmentation, and degradation of the images to reflect internal conflict and the collapse of public image.

Ultimately, I aim to challenge viewers to look beyond the accolades and highlights of athletes and consider their humanity. The pressures and complexities of athletic identity can, at times, contribute to their downfall.