In my research for this piece, I wanted to challenge the narrative that rats are dirty and gross, and I found that they’re capable of complex emotions and communication. I was initially inspired by the fact that they’re associated with plagues, which relates to the current state of the world. The internal struggle of this rat is depicted in the reflection he sees in the water, and the theme of contrast is represented by the juxtaposition of the dark skull imagery with the pastel colors.
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