Skyler’s computer graphics work “(S)ins unspoken” centeres around guilt, repression, societal judgment, and the quiet, unspoken tensions that shape our lives.
The two central men, upper-class and seemingly in control, harbor a secret from their past. The suggestion of a possible romantic relationship between them adds layers of repression, especially when framed against societal norms regarding class and sexuality. Their outward appearance of wealth and control belies an internal struggle—the hidden truth that weighs on their lives, making them feel exposed despite their silence.
In the background, we see an odd maternal figure, an impossibly old and plain-featured mother who embodies the origin of sins. Her presence is almost primordial, suggesting that these sins are generational, passed down like a burden. A symbol of both creation and weight, she represents the source from which the other figures’ struggles emanate.
The bright yellow flowers, in contrast to the heavier tones surrounding the men, symbolize fragility and life—something real yet fleeting, easily overshadowed by the broader themes of guilt and repression. Against this, the empty boat in the painting on the wall is adrift on the water, evoking solitude and suggesting a sense of abandonment or being lost. The old-fashioned radiator serves as a metaphor for tension gradually building, heating up toward an inevitable eruption.
The cold, muted tones around the ghostly figure on the left, resembling Hamlet’s ghost, create a spectral atmosphere that silently witnesses the unfolding drama. This figure represents the invisible weight of the past, memory, and guilt that haunts the characters. In contrast, the warm tones around the men and the sharp, angular lines emphasize the sense of constraint and division—how they are boxed in by the secrets they keep.
The eye is initially drawn to the two men, their central placement and unspoken tension. From there, attention shifts to the bright yellow flowers, standing in contrast to the darker tones, before moving toward the mother and spectral figure of Hamlet’s ghost, whose quiet presence introduces a sense of haunting.
A significant detail is the man on the right, who carries a can labeled sins with a rope tied to his wrist. This can symbolizes the burden of past actions or secrets that he cannot escape. The fact that it is attached to his wrist, rather than his neck or hip, underscores that these sins are tied to his agency. The positioning of the can on his wrist introduces another layer when viewed in the context of the loose wrist stereotype, often used historically to belittle homosexual men as unreliable or lacking in masculinity. This visual cue ties back to societal judgments about identity and responsibility, suggesting that the man’s burden is not just personal guilt, but the shame imposed by societal expectations. The can, attached to his wrist, symbolizes how society unfairly constrains and judges.
