Under Pressure

Artis’ Statement – Under Pressure.

This work was inspired by the lyrics and music video of the song “Under Pressure”, recorded by Queen and David Bowie, in 1981. It is a melancholic opus dedicated to the human condition of struggling under pressure and asks the question why love cannot simply be the answer to this problem. It resolves that love would then have to be given unconditionally, which challenges the way we love ourselves and others.

I chose to depict the pressure experienced in city living, where people are always aiming higher, but crumbling under the constant pressure and often ending up on the streets…sabotaging themselves, others and their surroundings. Love is hanging all over the scene but pushed to the background.

Lyrics:

“Pressure: pushing down on me

Pressing down on you, no man ask for

Under pressure that burns a building down

Splits a family in two

Puts people on streets

That’s okay

It's the terror of knowing

What this world is about

Watching some good friends screaming

"Let me out!"

Pray tomorrow gets me higher

Pressure on people, people on streets

Chipping around, kick my brains around the floor

These are the days: it never rains but it pours

People on streets

People on streets

It's the terror of knowing what this world is about

Watching some good friends screaming, "Let me out!"

Pray tomorrow gets me higher, higher, high!

Pressure on people, people on streets

Turned away from it all like a blind man

Sat on a fence, but it don't work

Keep coming up with love, but it's so slashed and torn

Why, why, why!?

Love

Insanity laughs, under pressure we're breaking

Can't we give ourselves one more chance?

Why can't we give love that one more chance?

Why can't we give love, give love, give love, give love, give love, give love, give love, give love, give love?

'Cause love's such an old-fashioned word

And love dares you to care for the people on the edge of the night

And love dares you to change our way of caring about ourselves

This is our last dance

This is our last dance

This is ourselves

Under pressure

Under pressure

Pressure”