Induced Sleep 10/31/23
It is often agreed that art reflects life. Even if the value, beauty and creativity of art varies, it is agreed, art is life experiencing itself. Another idea that can arguably be agreed on, is that self-induced sleep is a common occurrence. Using drugs and/or alcohol to cope, individuals find themselves in a sleepy state or sleep and unaware.
MiZion, who refers to herself as Zi, is an artist born in Columbus, Ohio. She’s titled one of her graphite drawings “Induced Sleep”. Zi, describes it as an unconscious state a person puts themself in when they use drugs, alcohol or hurt themselves to escape pain. Zi says, she has put herself into induced sleep to escape pain.
Zi has been drawing and an artist since she was 5 years old. She grew up in a house of artists. Her mom and sister both enjoyed drawing. Although, neither her mother nor sister developed their artistry as Zi has, Zi contributes growing up in a home of artists to helping her develop her creativity. Replicating her mom and sister’s work was her first attempt at being an artist.
Zi graduated from Fort Hayes Career Center in Columbus Ohio, where she studied Art. She also studied Art at Columbus College of Art & Design (CCAD), where she graduated in 2023.
Zi says she studied Illustration in school, and she enjoys telling stories through art in her work. “Induced Sleep” is a reflection of the pain people feel as a part of life and the forms they use to numb the pain. Many celebrities, most recently Blac Chyna, among others have spoken out about using alcohol and/or drugs as a form of escape. Jimmy Hendrix, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Heath Ledger, Prince, Amy Winehouse and the list goes on of celebrities who have suffered and died from using induced sleep as a form of escape. The reality is how many people in our homes and communities are also coping by placing themselves in induced sleep.
When I asked her what inspires her, she said “people and their stories inspire me”. She says when she creates art, she feels she is telling a story. As Zi mimics life stories in her art, common themes are the challenges people encounter going through life. In the oil painting, “Conflict of Interest” the character is depicted as struggling with their higher and lower self. The character is battling between who they are now, who they are called to be, and ignoring dealing with changing. Similarly, in “Smoking Beauty”, an acrylic piece and her favorite, Zi says the character struggles with unleashing their inner self.
Zi says, sometimes we are afraid to be who we are because we are afraid of being judged by people and society. She says as we begin to unleash who we truly are, then we become the smoking beauty.
In her childhood, Zi says she didn't often use her voice and she expressed herself visually. As the “Quiet One” in the graphite piece, Zi depicted herself as the child and everyone's voice overpowering her own. In it she is surrounded by all the people whose voices she always heard.
As she is telling stories in her art, each of her depictions become relatable and are common modalities most people can identify with.
Today, Zi says she credits God with helping her overcome putting herself into induced sleep as a form of escape. She states her relationship with God is one of the most important parts of overcoming her pain. She says God's peace is always with her and because of her relationship with God, she's never alone. "Even in times of uncertainty there’s somewhere [to go]", she said.
As an artist who enjoys others' stories, she also says, thinking about the effect that hurting herself would have on the people that care about her, keeps her from harming herself. When Zi was speaking about her own life, she said “you have a chance to change that instead of taking it away”. Instead of taking from her life, by being in an induced state. Zi found other “forms of relief -therapy, prayer and realizing living life is a gift and another chance to make things right within [her]self”.
MiZion can be found on Instagram @custom_zi. Her website is Custom Zi Illustrations
This article and the videos that will go with it are dedicated to Carla Threats Kelley, her grandmother, who held “Smoking Beauty” until she passed on December 3, 2021.
Out interview can be found here on YouTube.