Andrew Kirchner – The Butcher

Artist: Andrew Kirchner
Title: The Butcher
Medium: Graphite on Paper
Grade: 10th
School: Campolindo High School
Teacher: Lauren Fitterer
NFS

Category:

Description

Have you felt completely overwhelmed and consumed by work lately? In the twenty-first century, working people are seeing and feeling the negative effects of increased workloads and demands. The Butcher visualizes for viewers what it feels like to be in this overwhelming state. In the center of the still life, under the ham bone, is the butcher’s head. He has succumbed to exhaustion. As orders pile up throughout the day, so does his fatigue as he scrambles to fulfill them on time. Spilling out of his head are the grapes that represent the buildup of anxiety. The various elements in the artwork represent how the demands of work in today’s society are increasing. The Butcher hopes to bring awareness to the suffering that work has caused in our demanding world.