Anikan Remus Evans
Orana Aarts
Anikan Evans, a 20-year-old from Coonabarabran, is a rising star in writing and worldbuilding. Nestled in the charm of his small town, Evans’ passion for crafting immersive narratives spans both the book and video game industries. Recently setting out to learn the intricacies of his chosen crafts, he embraces the challenge with enthusiasm. Connabarabran’s landscapes serve as a backdrop for Evans’ imaginative projects, influencing his creations. With an insatiable curiosity and a commitment to growth, he aspires to captivate audiences with his storytelling prowess. Evans is not just a dreamer; he is a budding artist shaping worlds through words and code alike, leaving an indelible mark on literature and interactive entertainment.
A Challenged World
A Challenged World
That stare, a void ever growing.
Anxious despair is a pitfall,
One that leads only to the deepest
Of insecurities, locked far below.
Surfacing only when the pressure,
Swells enough to stir some life,
Some inkling of humanity, the last
Vestiges that we carry within.
How must we be expected to grow
To grow beyond our chains
The ones that bind us
An eternal leash to keep us from reaching
Ever greater heights, to be better
To be stronger than those
Less fortunate than us,
Of courage, clarity and confidence
Of a vision for the future
Oh, I pity you poor soul
I know your pain, do not be afraid.
Do not hide that darkened soul.
For you are not alone.
Artwork description
A Challenged World, 2024, Digital Drawings in Microsoft Paint
Artist Statement
My work uses poorly drawn digital two-point perspectives to explore the instability of the current housing market, government-built initiatives, and my own struggles with mental health in a rural community. The poorly erased lines and seemingly unfinished projects reflect the incomplete and often ineffective nature of government housing initiatives, leaving both external structures and internal emotions unresolved. The use of MS Paint as a medium adds to this sense of disconnection, symbolizing the limited access to better tools and programs in a rural environment. These imperfect, half-finished perspectives serve as metaphors for the gap between the ideal of security and the harsh reality of navigating a broken and neglected system—particularly in my own struggle to find secure housing. Each piece, paired with two lines of poetry, echoes the sense of disconnection and frustration, intensifying the feeling of both the housing market and my own emotional state—uncertain, suspended, and hanging, waiting for resolution.