Sense of Self Exhibition
"Sense of Self" is the title of my Graduation Exhibition at Case Western Reserve University. The show ran from August 23rd to September 12th 2010. It featured works from the end of my undergraduate career that related to themes of behavior and identity.
Show Statement
Themes of behavior and identity are the glue that links the diverse pieces of the show “Sense of Self.” My work revolves around my interest in the process a person goes through to develop their sense of self. Many factors are involved in the shaping of one’s identity, but I concentrate on two: environmental factors and social roles.
A tale as old as time tells us that our environment affects our behavior and development, so instead of merely arguing that fact, my work strives to communicate the potential effects of that environmental influence, the emotional consequences, and the behavioral evidence of the influence. The home environment is a personal focus, as well social roles and structure, and finally the art world. My work intends to dissect environments in search of the factors that cause the development of negative or ironic behaviors and identities. I intend to expose and critique the revealed tools of manipulation so that my viewers are encouraged to think deeply about their behavior, identity, and their sense of self.
Behavior, identity, and the sense of self are influenced by social roles. Behavior expectations and characteristics relating to identity are assigned to people according to their purpose and role assigned by society. My work concentrates on gender roles and how they affect the development of personal identity. I have sought to specifically examine the influences of social roles and their emotional affects in order to examine the many ways of raising children, building a home, viewing art, and interacting with others.
My work takes advantage of the bittersweet notions of beauty and traditional socialization that we have learned to accept as truth, come to rely on, and in many ways strongly believe in. I hope that “Sense of Self” provides my viewers with an experience of self reflection and discovery while revealing the opportunity to prepare for positive personal change so that one day the negative aspects of the social world will no longer harm our sense of self.
This folder is arranged so that the viewer may experience the works in approximately the order that they were presented at the show.