The piss up: a critical thesis investigating my documentation of 21st century debauchery

During my rowdy teenage years living in Hong Kong, followed by an easy immersion into British drinking culture whilst studying for my Bachelor’s degree in Leeds, I participated and witnessed bodily events that one would only see in the depths of a night out. Some examples include peeing in an empty pint glass, throwing up outside the window of a white Tesla (this is a personal confession), or snogging a stranger in the middle of the road. My practice documents these places and events of excess in outlandish, playful, figurative paintings, inspired by my own experiences of debauchery or stories relayed by friends. Through my exploration with dry pigment, paired with wet oil paint, I can re-imagine these exposing situations into a visual that captures the grotesque, but also the carefree version of ourselves that some people don’t see or witness. [...] Throughout my thesis, I will contextualise my practice corresponding to key examples of historical and contemporary artwork depicting scenes of excess and debauchery. I intend to explore how a selection of artists that are instrumental in shaping my practice captures the emotional and physical state of intoxication, as well as how the lifestyle of hedonism is perceived throughout recent centuries. Finally, I will investigate the types of visual devices I can use to successfully capture the grotesque body; how it can be used to visualise a state of feeling, and the different ways I can take advantage of it to depict drunk expressions of disorder, release and pleasure. The viewer's experience is integral to my practice, therefore I will question different waysof involving them in the narrative, whether through relatability, or a visual moment in the paintings that challenge our ideas of good behaviour and push our boundaries of social
conditioning.