ARTIST STATEMENT
A mental health study by Saloni Dattani (2017) found that 792 million people worldwide live with a mental health disorder. Yet how many people go undiagnosed? Suppressio Veri Collection (2022) presents altered versions of iconic historical paintings with the subjects of each print representing an aspect of mental health. This includes insecurity, anxiety, body dysmorphia and depression. Suppressio Veri translated from Latin to English means suppression of truth as in our world people portray a mask as a safety mechanism. This installation removes that mask from history’s most iconic paintings and shows that even the most most well-known faces had their own battles.
ARTWORK PROCESS
My idea for Suppressio Veri Collection began with selecting historical artworks and researching the models of the paintings. I was inspired by Eva Charkiewicz and my experiences with mental health. I began experimenting with wearable art. First I painted myself, an intimate process that lead to me painting the members of my household. Using household items, a homemade picture frame as a prop, green screen and photoshop, my family was transformed into altered versions of historical paintings.
