The Cost of Conformity by Bristol UK Abstract expressionist Artist Chris Shopland 10 x 10 inch acrylic and collage on canvas
The Cost of Conformity
By Chris Shopland, Abstract Expressionist Artist (Bristol, UK)
10 x 10 inch acrylic and collage on canvas
Do you ever long to express your true self but hold back, fearing judgment? This piece reflects that inner struggle. Growing up, I often felt like an outsider—as if I didn't quite belong in this world. Even today, I sometimes worry that my differences might come across as strange to others. I tend to keep myself to myself, in my own world, walking my dog but even before him I would keep to self, except now I have to venture out among people! I like people but those I don't know I can get worn out with the small talk and getting to know. While many might overlook or fail to recognise my strengths, some do see them as positives. But what they don't realise is that these very qualities—what sets me apart—stem from being neurodivergent. So It’s not all negative, yet the feeling of being different remains.
In The Cost of Conformity, I explore the tension between our desire to be fully ourselves and the pressure to fit in. It speaks to the human urge to strive for authenticity, even when society's expectations weigh us down. How do we perceive ourselves, and how do others perceive us? This piece invites you to consider those questions and the price we pay for conforming, losing the very thing that makes us special, amazing and unique.
The Cost of Conformity
By Chris Shopland, Abstract Expressionist Artist (Bristol, UK)
10 x 10 inch acrylic and collage on canvas
Do you ever long to express your true self but hold back, fearing judgment? This piece reflects that inner struggle. Growing up, I often felt like an outsider—as if I didn't quite belong in this world. Even today, I sometimes worry that my differences might come across as strange to others. I tend to keep myself to myself, in my own world, walking my dog but even before him I would keep to self, except now I have to venture out among people! I like people but those I don't know I can get worn out with the small talk and getting to know. While many might overlook or fail to recognise my strengths, some do see them as positives. But what they don't realise is that these very qualities—what sets me apart—stem from being neurodivergent. So It’s not all negative, yet the feeling of being different remains.
In The Cost of Conformity, I explore the tension between our desire to be fully ourselves and the pressure to fit in. It speaks to the human urge to strive for authenticity, even when society's expectations weigh us down. How do we perceive ourselves, and how do others perceive us? This piece invites you to consider those questions and the price we pay for conforming, losing the very thing that makes us special, amazing and unique.
The Cost of Conformity
By Chris Shopland, Abstract Expressionist Artist (Bristol, UK)
10 x 10 inch acrylic and collage on canvas
Do you ever long to express your true self but hold back, fearing judgment? This piece reflects that inner struggle. Growing up, I often felt like an outsider—as if I didn't quite belong in this world. Even today, I sometimes worry that my differences might come across as strange to others. I tend to keep myself to myself, in my own world, walking my dog but even before him I would keep to self, except now I have to venture out among people! I like people but those I don't know I can get worn out with the small talk and getting to know. While many might overlook or fail to recognise my strengths, some do see them as positives. But what they don't realise is that these very qualities—what sets me apart—stem from being neurodivergent. So It’s not all negative, yet the feeling of being different remains.
In The Cost of Conformity, I explore the tension between our desire to be fully ourselves and the pressure to fit in. It speaks to the human urge to strive for authenticity, even when society's expectations weigh us down. How do we perceive ourselves, and how do others perceive us? This piece invites you to consider those questions and the price we pay for conforming, losing the very thing that makes us special, amazing and unique.
