Art: ‘The Victim’ by Brandon Linares

Brandon Linares

The Victim
3rd PLACE ART
Mixed Media
12th Grade, Ánimo Watts
Guiding Teacher: Jesus Martinez

Brandon Linares: Artist Statement

Greetings, my name is Brandon Linares, and I present “The Victim,” an artwork with an important message to society and future generations of artists. I wrote this statement to be interactive, as if it came directly from my thoughts rather than just words. The main subject of the artwork is a self-portrait, representing me engulfed in anger—wrath in the flesh (hence the flames in my hair). I was a victim.

When AI-generated art exploded in popularity, I felt overwhelmed. The thought of technology taking my dreams away awakened immense frustration. I couldn’t think straight; I felt like creating art was useless. I decided to antagonize technology. As I attacked AI, I felt my body contort and distort. I could’ve sworn I punched it with my left arm, but it was my right arm. I noticed my mind became foggy, and I couldn’t control myself. Everything became abstract, even my own body. Behind my self-portrait, my creative spirit appears as a skeleton, illuminated by vibrant flames that flicker and flee from my body.

However, during my darkest times, an image appeared in my mind—a small crying child being comforted by a robot. It was a sign of hope. Could I befriend technology? Could it be a companion to an artist? I realized I struck too soon. I see now that my arm’s inversion is a silent warning, twisting against me. My aggression was misaligned with my true path. Even my own body resisted the act.

I felt a warm presence in my heart, and imagined a dark, fire-engulfed planet being pushed away by an image of me and a robot holding hands, walking into paradise. This vision emerged within a blue LED heart, where creativity began to flow. Above fields of growing fruit (bottom left corner), robots assist with manual labor, watering plants and supporting people in need. I see a man saved from falling off a cliff by his hiking robot, and a robot pushing a wheelchair-bound man, helping with anything they need. These images represent a future where humans and machines coexist harmoniously.

Within this creative space, I felt the presence of another mind, represented by a purple void. In the void, my dark opinions about technology melted away as I saw a connection being made. A spark formed between two hands, opening my eyes to the tribulations ahead. From the blue LED heart emerged an arm representing someone addicted to technology. This person’s life has been consumed by it, their arm turning gray and lifeless.

This represents the danger of AI art and consumerism. To the right of the arm, I see a former artist being consumed by AI. A man is chained to his phone, the device corrupting his heart and turning his life into glitch particles. His body melts into the purple void, symbolizing his corrupted mind. The void reveals two figures—one with a mind completely taken over by technology, and another losing their humanity to consumerism.

Looking closely at the robot I attacked, I realized it never wanted to hurt me. It was programmed not to destroy humans, and it faced away to prevent me from becoming a victim of creativity loss. The positive message I struck was meant for me to see, a reminder that I didn’t need to fight.

I see now, this robot is me, a version of myself if I had neglected my dreams and allowed technology to consume me. I saved myself. I hope my words reach artists struggling against the pull of social media and technology misuse. I saved myself, and I hope they follow my footsteps.

If you ever feel trapped in endless scrolling and lack motivation, remember: your life is short. Get up, create, learn, and live. Ask yourself every day, “Did I earn this sunset?” Don’t become a slave to technology and consumerism. Use it to achieve your dreams. Think of a brighter future—machines and people can coexist as long as we remember: we create the future