Arshdeep Cheema

Anomalies and paradoxes in George Orwell's 1984, and David James Armsby’s short animated film ‘The Immortal Machine’

Humans are complex, humans are fascinating. Surviving on the small blue marble for around 200,000 years, we incorporate emotions, feelings, behaviour, sentiments and conscience that define us who we are, that define us as the rulers of the marble. We strive to achieve perfection in every aspect of our lives possible. Why? Perfection is a state of complete excellence, to overcome the inadequacies of our lives, to ensure stability in our lives. But perfection comes with a cost that deteriorates the concept of stability that cost is flaws and anomalies. Havelock Ellis once said, ‘The absence of flaw in beauty, is itself a flaw.’ These words reveal the importance of flaws in any form of art. Every flaw is an opportunity to grow and to connect. It brings us together as something we share with every other being on this planet.