My series of self portraits titled “Self Involved” is meant to evoke questions and thoughts on the intersection of feminism, identity, and the body. As observed through racism, sexism, etc., people seem not to hold themselves to the same standards that they hold others to.  We will often identify the physical and mental traits of others negatively simply because they are different from our own.

I, myself, have a minor deformation in my left hand, and because of this I have witnessed time and time again that during a snap judgement or a first impression, people do not consciously question why they are subconsciously repulsed by something that their culture has told them to be repulsed by.  When we don’t consider these things, we can become prejudiced towards those who are different from us without even realizing it, and rifts can be formed between groups of people.

Throughout the history of art women have usually been portrayed as passive and non-threatening, as if they are simply to be looked upon and appreciated, conforming to the standards of the presumed male gaze. I paint myself in various poses and displaying various traits that challenge the viewer’s ideas of what is acceptable for someone, particularly a woman, to possess, wear, or do, and to question why this is so. Because I work in self-portraiture, the central figure is always a woman.  I portray the figure as strong through the direct confrontation of the viewer, exaggeration of the muscles, and confident posture. This, alone, is enough to start a discourse on gender and the female figure in art.