Lisa Wang
Always Changing
Prompt: In this project, we will have a kaleidoscopic view onto the expression of self & ourselves. The self: a complex, shifting set-of-parts & elements that comprises who we are, our identity. How do we encounter our self? How do we express our self? How does the self evolve over time, from the past, to the present, to the future? How do we continually renew ourselves throughout life as we evolve? Who/what are the many people and experiences we embody with us, that shape us? How is our essential self perceived by others vs. how we perceive ourself?
I am always amazed by how quickly a person can transform their behavior when they enter a different environment or people. This inspired me to explore the fluidity of our identities and our constantly changing selves. In my work, I wanted to focus on examining my portrait in different social environments and the dual nature of our identities.
My main project is a triptych that illustrates four kinds of surroundings: with strangers, with friends, with family, and with myself. In the background, I used saturated colors and multiple patterns to demonstrate my interpretation of the space. In the background, there are portraits of me that showcase how I look when I interact with the space. The self-portraits are all attached using magnets, emphasizing the idea that these versions of myself can be replaced and transformed into other possibilities. In addition, I decided to use multiple mirrors to connect the three panels. When we look into a mirror, we see our truest identity — our deepest self. Through the way the mirror reflects the paintings, I wanted to highlight the complex relationship between our outer appearance and our inner selves, and how they influence and reflect one another. The idea of framing my portrait is inspired by René Magritte’s The Eternally Obvious, where the artist divided the woman’s body into five sections and framed each part, as if they were not part of the body but commodities of society. I incorporated this idea into my portraits— that each self is a specific product of that social context.