Self Portraiture.
Over the years I have experimented with how I want to portray myself through self-portraits. They have taken many forms, showing myself displaying strong emotions, putting myself in front of the camera in compromising positions, and exploring how to be a voyeur to myself.
Self in Nature
This series started as a way for me to explore how I saw myself through a camera, and by enabling me to take my own portrait, shaping the image entirely as I pleased. My experience led me to the conclusion that everyone portrays themselves differently, depending on who is taking the photo. When we take our own photo we can display ourself the way we see fit, not depending on someone else’s view of us.
Voyeurism of the Self
My voyeurism of the self series plays on my personal experiences and traumas to create photos of things most would keep private. I recreate my lived experience as a young adult in photos meant to invoke a sense of discomfort in the viewer, as they know they are viewing something that are not supposed to see.
Political Statements
My self portrait series fueled by anger and frustration at the men in Congress who continuously vote to criminalize and restrict abortion, the right to healthcare, and demonize the queer community. This work names some of the men who have created these laws, and endangered millions of people who need lifesaving healthcare.
Displays of heavy emotion in my early work.
This earlier portrait work heavily inspired me to create the “Voyeurism of the Self” series. After receiving feedback from peers and professors that these images were difficult to look at, and radiated pain and sadness, I decided to take it a step further to make the viewer more uncomfortable with what they were witnessing. Almost as if they were spying or watching when they know they shouldn’t.
Silent Short Film Work.
This project stemmed from an assignment I was given in my intro to video class. We were tasked to make a short film only using still photos. This made me reimagine how I would display emotion and movement in my work. The final project became a black and white short film called “Dissociation.”
Character Portraits
When I take my Self Portriats, I am often bored of taking photos of the same version of myself everytime. Thus i decided to step into a character for this work. Inspired by both clowns and the drag community I use makeup to change myself into a persona.
