My project is a series of self portraits entitled “In My Room”. I was inspired by self portrait artist Cindy Sherman’s project entitled “Untitled” released in the 70’s-80’s. As well as contemporary artist Kristen Lewis; she specializes in day in the life photography. Everything in this photo was meant to represent the things I did in my room, or the secrets I kept to myself while in my room, an emotion I felt, or the way I existed by myself, in my room. I want these self portraits to be relatable and real. I think these convey a more emotional and private part of myself that I generally try to not share with others.
My first self portrait was a clay sculpture inside of a color therapy box. Although they both touch on a more intimate part of myself, they were expressed through different mediums. My midterm was arts and crafts, this is photography. My midterm involved other materials such as paint, clay, glitter, tape, and string. I changed the way I wanted to convey my self portrait for a few reasons. The first being that I want to be a better photographer for the sake of my art. I feel like I need to be able to express myself in multiple ways to be happy with my work. The first project was just a clay sculpture that went into different details of my life emotionally. I feel like this gives you a more understandable approach towards me because this is visible.
These changes were actually influenced directly by this class. Usually, I always try and do something closer to arts and crafts, which include lots of separate pieces and a lot of different supplies. This time, I wanted to keep it simple. In this class we do a lot of talking about identity, and the portrayal of it. In her book, Finklestein says the “power to be and not to be, to detach oneself from oneself, to be oneself and at the same time another,” (61). To me, this meant that I could still be the artist that uses paper and colors and glitter and streamers…. But I could still also be the artist that conveys the same message through just a simple image. I am capable of learning different and new innovative ways to say the same things. And by being able to send these messages about myself in different ways, they each give a little bit more about myself to the audience.
The spectacle of my project is identity. It is tackled by using a series of stills that depict who I am. My project is only affected truly by how i think I want people to see me.
As Finkelstein points out,“Such a character values the idea of a ‘core self’ that emanates our ethical best but also understands the necessity of the opposite, namely, being able to invent an identity to suit the fluid character of cosmopolitan life.” (10) I wanted to create or portray myself in a way that was relatable to most people, while still being myself.
*please open link to see power point in a new window* : Jocelyn Rodriguez Self Portrait Final
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