The Underbelly blends stop-motion and 2D animation to explore inattentive ADHD in adulthood. Inspired by my experiences, it follows a dog swallowed by a couch, encountering animated objects that embody distractions and anxieties. The project highlights the beauty in life's imperfections.
Set within the thematic framework of The Sublime, my project, The Underbelly, blends Stop-motion and 2D Animation to explore the challenges of navigating inattentive ADHD in adulthood.
Inspired by my personal experiences of losing items in the depths of my couch, the story follows a dog unwittingly swallowed by a couch, along with various other objects, and thrust into the surreal environment of the Underbelly. As the dog travels through the realm, he encounters the once-inanimate objects transformed into the animate, each embodying distractions, anxieties, and responsibilities reflective of their owners’ struggle with ADHD.
From the crafted miniature couch adorned with textures from my couch to the overwhelming collection of voicemails provided by my friends and family, each element reflects an essence of my own narrative woven into the project’s fabric. I use various textures from the stop-motion set and my photo archive to bridge the digital and natural in a world where the ordinary transforms into the extraordinary.
The Underbelly explores the ongoing struggle of navigating the chaos of ADHD amidst the desire for perfection and control. It reminds us that imperfections are not only okay but essential to show the messy yet beautiful reality of the human experience.
