To Construct an Identity

To construct an identity is a decision to figure out who we are and what makes us unique. It is also figuring out who we want to be whether it is accurate or not. We have two identities: who we are and who we want to be. In astrology there are sun signs and moon signs. Our sun sign is how we portray ourselves to others and our moon is how we are when we are alone. Finklestein says, “ "to participate in society we cultivate a public persona, a manner of being in the world that works to sustain our engagement with others (2). Sometimes we try to cover up our own flaws to fit in with society. However, I believe that both identities are apart of us. 

Visiting the Montclair Art Museum, reiterated to me the notion that every artist has a story and their artwork is a reflection of their personal experiences and identity. Each artist I chose to write about used their identity as an inspiration for their work. 

This sculpture stood out the most to me, because of the materials that the artist chose to use. According to the description, Joyce J. Scott used beads, metal, thread and yarn to achieve this look. I was also intrigued by this work of art, because of the meditation stance. I believe that meditation is a valuable way to help maintain peace of mind and a good mental health. Scott mentioned that Harriet Tubman and Buddha were the most prominent figures in her recent work. She was inspired to combine these two influential people of the past while traveling in Thailand where she saw many images of black Buddhas with curly hair. She believed that Buddha’s legacy would be acknowledged by the people in her community if he looked like them. Therefore, she constructed a new identity in Buddha that contrasted greatly with his traditional persona. 

This photograph gave me nostalgia, because I wrote a paper my freshmen year about a series called “The Real Story of the Superheros” which included this image. The man beneath the Spiderman costume is a Latinno immigrant named Bernabe Mendez who makes a living as a professional window cleaner. He came to America to provide a better life for himself and his family in Mexico and sent them $500 a month. Putting Mendez in a costume makes a point that all superheroes do not have supernatural powers. Sometimes they are just ordinary men providing for their families. The costume also gave Mendez a new identity that will prevent him from being overlooked. Otherwise, he would just be your typical Mexican window cleaner to society. 

This painting stood out to me because it reminded me of my childhood. The church scene and elderly women dressed in tall church hats is a memory that resonated with me. After reading the description. I learned that the artist behind this work, Clementine Hunter did not begin painting portraits until she was in her 60s. This is inspirational to me because it shows that it is never too late to follow your dreams or pick up a new hobby. According to Hunter, the line of women in their Sunday best represents the importance of religion in her community. This shows that her identity plays a large role in what she decided to express through her artwork. 

The next sculpture that caught my eye was one by Montclair-based sculptor Tom Nussbaum. He used cast resin and acrylic paint to create this masterpiece. My first thought when seeing this sculpture was teamwork among people with different backgrounds. It also reminded me of my childhood, because the people stacked on top of one another resemble dolls and I used to have an extensive collection of dolls with different ethnic backgrounds. 

“When I was working on this piece, I was thinking about how members of families (and by extension, communities) support and rely upon each other.” 

In 2008, his monumental sculpture titled “Listen” made its appearance on museum grounds. 

I was intrigued by this painting because of its irony. Pecou painted a portrait of himself drawing a self-portrait while looking in the mirror using acrylic paint on a canvas. He makes several references to himself which makes this painting personal. In efforts to give us a better understanding of who he is, he included his inspirations: Jean-Michel Basquiat, Muhammad Ali, and Andy Warhol in the far right corner. He refers to them as “this holy trinity of influences”. Besides the obvious picture of Basquait, he also references his abstract style by letting the wet paint drag and leaving most of the portrait white with an unfinished look.