ARTIST STATEMENT
Social Circle represents my conflict of identity, where social media ‘standards’ deconstruct what I see reflected- physically, mentally, and socially. Multiple layers of Perspex aid in deconstructing my identity; colours, layers and shadows fuse together yet remain separate portraying contradictory thoughts, visions and emotions. Osamu Yokonamu’s group portraits explore a collective identity claiming that “individuals have become ‘dividuals’. I reverse Yokonamu’s theory representing my own hypothesis that through social media an individual is made up of many ‘dividuals’ which results in inner-conflict and an unfocussed sense of self.
ARTWORK PROCESS
The original image of myself was separated across 14 Perspex sheets to communicate the imbalance between the real world and the social media world. My ‘human-form’ becomes blended into ghost-like bodies, representing the haunting parts of me I am ashamed of. The blue and red colours contrast, fusing together to create a confused sense of reality driven by addiction. The ominous shadows confront the viewer, promoting contemplation of today’s usage of technology and influences of social media. Shadows created by the Perspex imitate the ‘social media surface’, not the reality, but rather a one-dimensional representation of individual existence.
