All photography is done by Zach Miller

@zvchmiller

I am a walking, breathing hypocrite. My body craves dopamine rushes, and my mind craves balance. Living in a society where we massly consume this notion of never being satisfied, addiction becomes part of the status quo. In my varied and diverse approaches to making art; digital, painting, public and performative, the message remains the same to every paradoxical man. This series of ten pieces, a controversial take, highlights just how unaware and hypocritical we truly are. 

Before even starting digitally, this series was born a year prior with an idea to brand myself after reading a book called “Do the F*cking Work: Lowbrow Advice for High-Level Creativity” by Brian Buirge. Reading this book struck me with inspiration to make a name for myself but it had to be authentic and eye-catching. After doing the f*cking work, one thought remained engraved in my brain, that the reason I have a creative voice was because of the experiences that led me to this book. My older brother Erik has been an addict since he was 16 and his addiction subsequently made my microscopic lens on the world a little more critical to our own addictions. From writing college application essays on peer pressure in teens, to persuasive speeches on social conformity at university, my very being was always fixated on how prevalent substances are in our world. In the spring of 2021, I came up with my slogan “Buy Art Not Drugs” printed on the back of 500 business cards and over a year later in August of 2022, the first of this series came to fruition. 

Starting in photoshop I rebranded ten substances just like I did artistically a year earlier and even went as far physically, by challenging myself to be sober, in order to highlight the effects addiction has on our society. From computer clicks to brushstrokes on canvas; bright, lively colors depict the negative effects these substances have on us. But it didn't stop there, I knew these pieces needed a more impactful setting for viewers to cultivate that conversation within themselves. By photographing each piece in the setting in which they are most commonly abused, viewers of these photographs and the subjects within them are challenged to think about their conscious decisions. To ask themselves why they use substances, are they craving dopamine rushes but also seeking balance? Is there a world in which we will be hyper aware of the numbness we all seek when using substances? What is our driving force to consume if we know the tragedies that come with it?

This series, although personally tied to my experiences, is relatable to almost every viewer, because with every addict ten people are affected. My brother has been fighting everyday from this disease for over 17 years and it saddens me to say he no longer has to fight. “Buy Art Not Drugs” the name for this series is commemorated to him, may he rest peacefully. 

04/19/1990-01/11/2023