Self Portrait Final- Vee

 

I Just Am, Vee 2024

My final project, I Just Am, is a series of three collage pieces exploring my experience with the gender spectrum. I started this project as one piece on femininity and misogyny. Although I do not identify as a woman, I am AFAB. I was raised a woman, I was socialized as a woman and all of my life experiences have been impacted by being seen as a woman. Even when you identify as trans or non-binary, you will still always be seen as a woman by the world. The article Ways of Seeing states; “To be born a woman has been to be born, within an allotted and confined space, into the keeping of men.” I am non-binary and my journey to discover my gender was not an easy one, they rarely are. Working on this piece helped me discover so much about my gender and how I express myself. Although I more closely identify with the androgynous piece, they are all a part of me. The article, Art That Looks at What Women See reminds me of this as it states; “A portrait does not have to be the image of an individuality, conceived as an island no one could access but the portraitist. A portrait can be the way to plunge into the sea of life”. I start each work with a pencil sketch on a bristol paper. I then pick out plain colored pages from magazines and rip them into small pieces before arranging them onto the paper to form the image. They are finally sealed with shiny Modge Podge. One work explores the feminine, one the masculine, and one the androgyny. While all the pieces share some of the same aspects, the majority are different, they represent a full spectrum with the feminine and masculine acting as opposites of one another while the androgynous one represents everything between them outside the binary. Each piece centers around the same figure whose gender appearance changes with each piece. The feminine and masculine face one another with a side profile while the androgynous one looks forward and is placed at the center of the other two. I put a lot of thought into every detail of this project. All portraits are smiling, but the feminine one’s gaze looks down while the masculine gaze looks up. This is done to express the generalized dominant and submissive natures of the masculine and feminine. The androgynous figure breaks free from these stereotypes by staring at the viewer head-on, paying no mind to the other figures. Additionally, the female portrait is wearing white, representing purity, the masculine portrait is wearing black, and the androgynous figure is wearing grey. As I was working on that piece I struggled to figure out which shade of grey to use, which led me to determine that I would use many shades to emphasize the presence of a spectrum in androgyny. These ideas continue with the backgrounds. The feminine portrait has a night sky with stars in the background, the masculine one has a day sky with clouds, and the androgynous one has a twilight sky with both. Each figure is framed by its corresponding gender symbol with its associated color, inside the circle is a halo. The material of the project attempts to have a stained glass appearance and along with the halo, my piece also discusses religion. Queer and trans people have experienced prejudice justified by religion for centuries, specifically from Abrahamic religions. Many of us have bad experiences with religion leading to religious trauma. Halos tend to be associated with saints and religious figures. My piece switches up the narrative and challenges the belief that we are seen as sinful for our existence. Interestingly enough, it is highly suspected that the bible was mistranslated leading to the justification of homophobia. One little line, one single word, and hundreds of queer people would still get to hug their grandmother, thousands would spend Christmas in their mother’s arms, and millions would have been allowed to grow old. Art can be used to express this, art is activism. The article Yoko Ono - A Groundbreaking Artist, Activist and Fighter behind the Myth of her Name states, “As she explained, art represents a way of showing people how you can think, and even though some people think of it as a beautiful wallpaper that you can sell, Yoko Ono rather perceives it as a direct connection with activism.” One artist I was inspired by was Derek Gores. I love how he creates a central image from simply colored papers. While his works tend to look more realistic while mine is more simplistic, I’d love to try and make a more detailed piece in the future. 

Final Project - Nissy Amaya

                 Nissy Amaya, My Culture, 2024 

My project is called my culture. Basically it's about how El Salvador is different from the United States. I got this idea from Frida Kahlo because she had experienced the borderline between Mexico and the United States in 1932. She wore a bright traditional dress for cultural identification. She would also wear jewelry, cosmetics, and medical aids. Here in the United States she got an educated background. Kahlo had originally intended to become a medical professional. The first material I needed was a construction paper in order to do my project. On my project I started cutting pieces of construction paper to make a sunset. Then I used a cone made out of foam to make a volcano. I covered up the foam with brown construction paper. In order to make the explosion of lava I used food coloring. Next step I did was hot gluing the little farm. The little farm came with fake grass, fences,a farmer, horse, hay, cow, pig, chicken, dog, lamb, farm house, and tractor. To make the sky in the city I used light and dark blue construction paper to make a pattern. In order to make the buildings which were made out of foam I used white construction paper to cover it up. The windows and the doors I used black construction paper to cover it up. Then I did the road with black and white construction paper. Lastly I did a yellow pathway that I got inspired from The Wizard Of Oz because the significance was a course of action that a person takes believing that it will lead to good things. I made a butterfly in the yellow pathway because the butterfly symbolizes freedom to travel anywhere they want without being stopped. I also included myself in the project with my face on it and my body cutted out of a magazine. Interesting fact about San Salvador volcano El Boqueron is a natural oasis in the middle of El Salvador's largest city. Located at the top of the San Salvador volcano. Hiking lovers can go on an excursion, or just enjoy the local cuisine and relax in the many restaurants in the area, either day or night. The cattle you can see roaming around the Salvadoran country roads and fields still retain many of the original features, such as the long, floppy ears, the hump over the shoulder, and a flap of skin hanging loosely from the neck and underside. One of Frida’s Kahlo quotes "I paint flowers so they will not die". Her paintings often demonstrate her close observation of the natural world and her engagement with the plants she encountered in her daily life. Second quote "I don’t really know if my paintings are surreal or not, but I do know that they represent the frankest expression of myself.” Her painting makes her express how she feels. Third quote I paint self-portraits because I am so often alone, because I am the person I know best. Frida has always been a lonely woman but just having herself and her painting is enough company she needs.

Cited https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/31/arts/design/frida-kahlo-booklyn-museum.html 

Final Project - Kristiana Zulaybar

 Caught between two worlds

My final project is about having an identity crisis as an immigrant. Where I show the side of being an immigrant and having the feeling of being caught in two worlds. For this project, I use a mix of gouache and watercolor pencil as a medium.

The main inspiration for me to do this project was my recent trip back to the Philippines. I have been an immigrant here in the United States for almost 10 years and I've grown accustomed to the lifestyle here and most things are now familiar to me. But during my trip in the Philippines is where I realize I truly felt disconnected, where I find myself not being able to recall places anymore, and forgetting my ways through the province and being too able to keep up to the new trends in the Philippines. But here in the United States, I still feel that I still don't feel that I truly belong here and being seen as what other people call “F.O.B”(fresh out the boat). Its a weird feeling of being an immigrant and having this uncertainty of where I should belong. At the bottom of my work there is a lyrics of the song “Split” by NIKI. There's a line in the song that I relate the most about the feeling of being caught between two worlds. In the top right side I show the church at my hometown in the Philippines, I chose to show the church since it is one of the main thing I felt disconnected to. Philippines is centered around catholicism and I have felt disconnected to that part of the culture and there is a lack of details on the street because of constant changes around the place, I forgot what it once used to be. On the left side is the view of the Manhattan skyline here in Jersey City. It is one of my favorite views here since I have always wanted to go in New York back then and now it is just a few miles away. For the flags, I intentionally drew half of the United States flag I am not fully American but the U.S is now a big part of me. 

The paintings that have inspired me in this work is Frida Kahlo’s “Two Fridas” and the “Self portrait on the borderline between Mexico and the United States”. In the "Two Fridas," she portrays herself of having two identities, much like myself where I feel of having "two identities" where I feel being too Filipino to Americans and too 'American' to Filipinos. and the “Self portrait on the borderline between Mexico and the United States” painting reflects on her two cultures just like my Filipino heritage and the American culture now that I am in.

 

Rivera, Adrienne Self Portrait Final

Adrienne Rivera, Mascarilla, 2024

For my final, I created a mask inspired by my heritage I titled “mascarilla”. I was inspired by the works of Ana Mendietta, Frida Kahlo, and Marina Abramovic. I was inspired by Abramovic’s performances and her deep dives into body art, the possibilities of the mind, and the relationship that can be created between the artist and their audience. I was also inspired by Mendiettta, for her connection to her roots and heritage that she explored through sculpture, performance, and body art as well. I was most inspired by Frida Kahlo, for her lifelong dedication to self portraiture as an exploration of her country, her dual heritage, her time, and herself through doing so. I was specifically most inspired by her work, “The two Fridas” from 1939. In this painting, Frida explores herself as the daughter to an indigenous Mexican woman with conservative beliefs and a German Jewish liberal father. “Besides her paintings, she also had other vehicles for her to express her passion for Mexican crafts including contemporary silver jewelry and native materials like jade, favored by the ancient Maya,” a quote on Frida Kahlo from NY times. Realizing how I can draw inspiration from anything and anywhere as the many artists before me, I found I  wanted my piece to similarly celebrate my heritage, incorporating symbols and materials that hold cultural significance to me as the first American born on both sides of my Ecuadorian/Dominican family. 

My piece was inspired primarily by the traditional masks worn by Dominican during carnival. Our carnival is the oldest in Latin America, as we were the first to be invaded by the Spaniards, and our traditional style draws from all parts of our heritage which includes European, African, and Indigenous symbols and motifs. The masked characters are often called or described as demons or devils. From the outside looking in, the bulging or sharp eyes, large mouths with teeth, horns, and whips that dancers use can give a feeling of fear to onlookers not used to the scene. The creatures may also be thought of as ugly, scary, and therefore bad to those outside of our culture as all Latin Americans celebrate carnival in different ways. This was often how I heard this aspect of my culture described by the other side of my culture, creating a dissonance between the two. However, the masked figures can technically look like whatever the artist imagines as they are a manifestation of their soul and spirit, and there is no traditional right or wrong way to create one's regalia. My Ecuadorian side, which is similar to Kahlo’s mother, rejected aspects of our indigenous culture, and chose to align themselves more with Christian and European beliefs and ideologies. In doing so, I felt pulled between both sides of myself. One which was teaching me that these masks, and other parts of my heritage, was scary, ugly, and therefore bad and evil. Whereas the other side of me knew that these were protector spirits, who bring joy to onlookers, especially children. 

I found that this push and pull between love and hate is ultimately the duality I often find myself living in. & I often felt confused how there could be so much of the two not only between two people, but also two cultures. I realized that oftentimes, we are taught to fear or demonize what we may find ugly, scary or are unfamiliar with. In the Bible, it always stood out to me when angels would first introduce themselves with the phrase, “Have no fear”. As typically in art, we portray them as babies, for example, and other times as white, frail men and women figures. However, it is known that in the Bible they are not described this way, but rather as horrifying winged creatures with infinite eyes. & they usually look like this to ward off the true demons. Usually, it is the devil and demons in the Bible that make themselves appear beautiful and familiar to humans as a way to tempt and lure us towards them. My piece is an exploration of these ideas, and a bridge to bring them together. 

Marina Abramovic from Being Marina Abramovic, When No One is Looking, shares that “The first step is to get an idea. Not an easy idea but one that makes me go, “Oh my god. No, no, no, no.” An idea that gets stuck in my stomach. Then, I get obsessed and, finally, I say, “OK, I’m going to do it.” I found this quote to describe the process I embarked on creating my regalia. At first, I felt I wanted it to be fully out of clay, and for the performance aspect, I would just hold it up. Perhaps later on, I would be able to put it on my wall. But through trial and error, I realized not only is it too heavy, but it would serve a much better purpose as an actual mask, similar to my ancestors and similar to those still worn today for carnival. Thus, I created my mask with a foundation of cardboard and duct tape. The face and eyes were created with clay, and painted over with acrylic paint. The horns were created with an aluminum foil base and wrapped with fabrics. I used seashells to create sharp teeth. I also placed seashells on the top of the head with blue paint to demonstrate a beach shore. Both sides of my family come from the coast, my mother from Guayaquil and my father from Nagua. I, myself, too have always lived by the beach shore, regardless of where we have moved. To me, this shows the similarities we actually have, and that ultimately we come from the same place, regardless of the land we find ourselves on, we have always come from the sea, and we have also always returned to the sea. In a New York Times interview, Mendieta said, “The making of my ‘Silueta’ in nature keeps the transition between my homeland and my new home…It is a way of reclaiming my roots and becoming one with nature. Although the culture in which I live is part of me, my roots and cultural identity are a result of my Cuban heritage.” Through our work, we fight against the ways we are expected to be perceived, attempting to preserve what remains of the past while navigating our present identities and the future. I also used adornments such as bells, pompous, sequins, gems, and feathers in typical carnival fashion. I assembled these together using hot glue, white glue, duct tape, and super glue as needed. Finally, my piece is adorned with a veil, as used in my mother’s religious practices as a false symbol for protection and actual oppression. It was very important for me to include this aspect in the art, as it highlights the dual nature of my piece. The veil is seen as something pure in Christian ideologies, but with nefarious undertones. Whereas the face is openly chaotic and crazed, and yet has no ill intentions towards the viewer. I do believe that my piece in many ways represents not only my heritage and the history of my family and myself, but as well as the essence of my spirit as intended to do so. As someone who is both loud and quiet, light and dark, beautiful and ugly, and good and bad. 

FINAL SELF - MB

 

Monique Boss, "THE START", 2024 (8.5"x11")

For my final self project, I decided to represent myself on the cover of a Vogue magazine as a way of confronting beauty standards. I depicted myself as a butterfly for its symbolism of transformation and freedom (through digital collage). This relates to the person I believe I am becoming. I used a full body photo of myself showing a bit of skin which represents me starting to feel more confident in my body and sexuality. I'm often more covered up for comfort but also to avoid unwanted attention aka the male gaze. 

Furthermore, I chose to use a quote by James Baldwin to go on the "cover" because I feel that the world's current "immense metamorphosis", has caused me to change how I respond to injustice. I've never been the type of artist to use my art "politically" or to respond/bring awareness to socio political issues. I merely only spoke on issues with family and share on my social media. But after being in this class, I've witnessed how many artists successfully navigate these themes through their craft. Many have inspired me to do the same as I am someone who hates the idea of being complicit in the wrongs of our society.

The artist who inspired me the most these past weeks has been, Wangechi Mutu, for her ability to create beautifully captivating images via collage/mixed/multi media with hints of social-cultural issues. 

Quotes: 

Frida Kahlo Was a Painter, a Brand Builder, a Survivor. And So Much More

"Kahlo did not conceal her pain, revealing her casts and leather braces with metal buckles in her work and turning her plaster corsets into art with elaborate designs of flowers, even a hammer and sickle. “She treated these second skins as canvases,” Ms. Small said."

Being Marina Abramović, Even When No One’s Looking

"Many artists get their best ideas from their dreams or in a state of complete tranquillity. I hate the studio. It’s a trap to me. Ideas come from life."

Interview with Shaun Leonardo - Performance, Pedagogy, and Philosophy

"I don’t understand how I never felt that the historical art canon could not be achieved simply because of my ethnicity or color. That was never a blockage for me, psychologically.

... I offer that narrative with the recognition that, over my life and professional career, I have witnessed young people be easily derailed when they don’t see themselves in the representation of who is creating."

Final Project Jacilia Rucker

                                                             "I AM", 2024 , Jacilia RG

I selected the theme of women's empowerment for my artwork because of the pervasive perception that women are often viewed as inferior or less valuable in society. We are frequently reduced to our reproductive capabilities as if our worth is solely tied to our ability to give birth. My work visually represents this notion through the placement of traffic cones in specific areas of the female body, signifying the societal limitations imposed upon women.

As a Black woman, I experience the intersectionality of race and gender, where my voice often gets overshadowed by societal prejudices based on my appearance. This is why I chose not to give my figure a defined shape; I want to convey that the female form is diverse and cannot be confined to a single ideal or standard.

From head to toe, my figure embodies the essence of the "perfect girl" in the world. The timing of this work coincides with ongoing discussions about women's bodies in the context of elections and legislation, which is why I’ve incorporated a news article. At the top, I have the phrase "LIVE YOUR LIFE," which serves as a powerful mantra that I strive to embody daily. The warning label on the article reflects how society often perceives women, illustrated by the presence of a small traffic cone suggesting that women are somehow slow-moving or limited.

The use of a flower chest symbolizes breast cancer awareness, as breasts are one of the most visible aspects of women's bodies and often subject to scrutiny. Adjacent to this, the depiction of the torso signifies how women are often relegated to being messengers, rather than being seen as individuals with their own voices and stories. The political scene over the vaginal area addresses the multitude of laws regulating women's bodies, highlighting the ongoing struggle to maintain autonomy.

On the arm, the word "wired" serves as a commentary on the societal conditioning that shapes our thoughts and behaviors—how people are programmed to think in specific, often narrow ways. The inclusion of lipstick reinforces the stereotypes that are often placed upon women, while the candles represent the inner light and resilience that continues to shine through adversity.

The legs of my figure depict different messages: one leg, embellished with moon imagery, symbolizes the journey we undertake to build our own worlds, while the other expresses beauty intertwined with significant purpose.

The essence of my work is summarized in the statement, "My body is not your construct." This underscores my belief that I define my body and identity, guided solely by myself and my faith in God. The overarching subject of my piece speaks to the importance of recognizing the perceived versus the actual value of women in society. I chose a large canvas to allow ample space for the complex messaging of my artwork, as I am starting to develop a fondness for the Dada art style, known for its embrace of chaos and challenge to traditional aesthetics.

Throughout this project, I have drawn inspiration from my classmates and other female artists, learning and adapting elements from their works. Additionally, I have become increasingly comfortable being in front of the camera, having gained a deeper understanding of how different angles can enhance my artistic expression.

Wangechi Mutu Dresses Cultural Critique in Freakishly Beautiful Disguises)

quasi-scientific and ethnographic style of Beckwith’s imagery, which serves as a framework against which I critique the often constructed and misleading stereotypes associated with African women.

New York Times | The Ugly Beauty of Cindy Sherman

"In fact, her images are so foundational to feminist art criticism, to notions of the “male gaze,” that it can be difficult to see them for themselves — they come to us encrusted with theory."

Understanding Patriarchy, bell hooks

To truly address male pain and male crisis we must as a nation be willing to expose the harsh reality that patriarchy has damaged men in the past and continues to damage them in the present.

SELF-PORTRAIT FINAL PROJECT- Samantha Castro

 

Blooming in Borikén, Samantha Castro, 2024

For my final project, I created a self-portrait using a combination of oil paint, acrylic, oil pastel, and lace trim, resulting in a mixed-media artwork. This piece explores my identity as a Puerto Rican woman and incorporates cultural, spiritual, and natural elements to tell a personal story. My inspirations stemmed from Frida Kahlo and Ana Mendieta, two artists whose works reflect deeply on identity, cultural heritage, and self-expression.

The concept for my self-portrait began with the idea of representing myself my heritage, my values, and my connection to Puerto Rico. The portrait depicts me wearing a brown lace veil, surrounded by Puerto Rican shrubbery, flowers, and Taino symbols in gold. These elements were intentionally chosen to represent aspects of my cultural and spiritual identity. The brown lace veil symbolizes humility and simplicity, while the gold jewelry speaks to spiritual growth and transformation. Gold also reflects an important part of Hispanic culture, representing wealth, heritage, and tradition. These jewelry pieces, often passed down through generations, serve as a tangible connection to my ancestors and their stories.

Frida Kahlo’s self-portraits greatly inspired my approach to this piece. Kahlo’s work frequently challenges traditional beauty standards and explores identity and cultural pride themes. Her iconic unibrow, for instance, became a symbol of defiance and authenticity. As Kahlo once said, “That brow was meaningful because it didn’t conform to Hollywood beauty standards.” This quote resonates with my self-portrait because, like Kahlo, I aimed to portray myself authentically. Instead, I emphasized the natural and cultural elements that define me. My portrait highlights how I look and the cultural elements that makeup who I am. In addition, Kahlo’s use of jewelry to express identity inspired me to include gold in my piece. “They were also another vehicle for her to express her passion for Mexican crafts including contemporary silver jewelry and native materials like jade, favored by the ancient Maya.” This connection to traditional materials parallels the importance of gold jewelry in Hispanic culture.

The natural elements in my piece Puerto Rican shrubbery, vibrant flowers, and golden Taino symbols—connect directly to Ana Mendieta’s work. Mendieta often merged her identity with the natural world in her Siluetas series, blending her form with the earth to express belonging and cultural connection. Mendieta described her work: "The making of my ‘Silueta’ in nature keeps the transition between my homeland and my new home. It is a way of reclaiming my roots and becoming one with nature. Although the culture in which I live is part of me, my roots and cultural identity are a result of my Cuban heritage.” This idea deeply influenced my process. By including Puerto Rican flora and indigenous symbols, I sought to embody my cultural roots and show how my identity is deeply intertwined with the land and traditions of Puerto Rico. Like Mendieta, I aimed to reclaim and celebrate my cultural identity, even while navigating a world shaped by different influences.     

In creating this project, I also reflected on how my self-perception has evolved through my art. The lace trim framing the piece represents the delicate but intricate nature of identity, while the use of mixed media allowed me to explore new textures and dimensions in my work. The combination of oil, acrylic, and pastel added depth and life to the portrait

Frida Kahlo Was a Painter, a Brand Builder, and a Survivor. And So Much More | NY Times

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/31/arts/design/frida-kahlo-booklyn-museum.html 

Ana Mendieta: Artist Who Pushed Boundaries | NYTimes

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/19/obituaries/ana-mendieta-overlooked.html