Self Portrait

This the unit one action project for my second senior STEAM course titled Systems and Models. Unit one was titled individual and focused on how psychology can help us think about ourselves in a plethora of ways. We all say we know ourselves but how many of us really do? We investigated ourselves through a variety of assessments and experiments. We became aware of how we fit in to society as well as how we work with certain types of people. The tests we took helped us all learn more about ourselves and how we function. I really enjoyed the entirety of this unit. I really liked the balance of math and science with philosophy and psychology. The action project asked students to take all that they've learned and make a self portrait with an artist statement. This was my favorite AP at GCE and it made me incredibly happy to do. I loved all aspects of the project even the difficult ones because I was constantly engaged and excited. Below is my piece and statement. Hope you enjoy !

“Me For You”

Acrylic and Ink on Canvas 

48” X 24”

2017
MS

“Me For You” is a large painting that attempts to represent the entirety of my being. My physical and inner self merge into one complexity which occupies the canvas with an array of colors and gestural movements. The piece depicts the totality of my past through a modern perspective. My life and all its phases are incorporated in the background through a process of marbling and fading which is supposed to depict age and change. Throughout the unit, I investigated and took a variety of personality assessments which helped me formulate a more complete understanding of myself. The first test, Myers Briggs, intends to identify its participants distinctive personality type and how they interact with the world. The test contains questions in four categories: favorite world, information, decisions, and structure and uses the participants responses to assign a unique personality type. After concluding the Myers Briggs test, I learned I am an ENFP which is also known as a campaigner. The N, which stands for intuition, is relevant to my creative process which birthed this pure representation of myself. The symbolism and abstraction that makes up the piece arise from the deep connection my inner vibes share with my current moment. The creation process began with intense feelings of confusion and anger which manifested as large jagged stroked and scratches. My campaigner spirit allowed a bit of my maintained madness to flow which allowed me to approach the piece with independence and creative freedom. Another influential assessment that helped shape the piece was the Enneagram. The test assigns participants to one of nine interconnected personalities. After completing the Enneagram test, I found out I am a seven with a four integration. Sevens are also known as “The Enthusiast because Sevens are enthusiastic about almost everything that catches their attention. They approach life with curiosity, optimism, and a sense of adventure, like “kids in a candy store” who look at the world in wide-eyed, rapt anticipation of all the good things they are about to experience.” My approach to this piece was driven by my childlike curiosity and approach to dealing with my emotions through a hands on experience. I represented my enthusiast qualities in several abstract ways also decided to include a big number seven in the piece, can you find it? These tests were an integral part of the creation of the piece which required a lot of self awareness as well as an understanding of my connection to the here and now.

I explored several physiological experiments and case studies to gain insight into other people's behaviors. The marshmallow test is a very famous and simple test that asks participants to sit in front of a marshmallow for a period of time without eating it. If they can successfully use their control and willpower their prize will double. During our in class version of the experiment, I easily waited the time necessary to gain the additional prize. That patient mindset was utilized during the creation process of the piece. I was able to work intensely while still being able to recognize the pieces development and it’s stopping point. Another experiment that influenced my piece was the Stanford Prison Experiment. A Psychologist named Philip Zimbardo created a simulated prison with students participating as either inmates or guards. This experiment inspired me to incorporate as many sides of me as possible into the piece. Several silhouettes and faces are present throughout the whole piece.

An American Psychologist named Carl Rogers described someone who is in a constant pursuit of reaching self actualization as a fully functioning person. A key element to a fully functioning person is a malleable self image. Rogers was a huge source of inspiration for my non representational approach to the portrait. I wanted to crush break all boundaries and be limitless with my perception of self. Another Psychologist whose work inspired the piece was William James. He was one of the Fathers of American Psychology. His writings on happiness were particularly interesting and influential. James talked about how there are two types of people, once borns who are predisposed to happiness and a twice borns who have to work towards happiness. I most definitely identify as a twice born and have had to work tremendously to reach levels of contentment. Creating this self portrait allowed me to have a place to work through a lot of questions and emotions I had which ultimately left me feeling happier and smarter. Following the completion of the piece I reached out to a friend of mine and fellow artist named Stevie Dread. We chatted for awhile about what makes a great artist statement. After a very rich and useful conversation I got the idea that reason and identity are two integral things for an artist statement. Why you did what you did needs to be articulated for the viewer in an honest manner. All these additional sources greatly benefited my project by providing me with new lenses to view myself and environment.

My thought process for creating this piece was fairly straightforward: Get in the studio and just begin working uninhibited. I calmed my mind and body through deep breathing and allowed the flow of energy to take control. I believe that you are your energy and if you find a way to tap into it and unleash it, the end result will be a wholesome representation of yourself. The final piece has dozens of layers each with a different purpose and story. I began with huge strokes of paint that covered the canvas. Color choices were made solely on what was closest to me at the time. After a base layer was laid, I began scratching and carving away at the wet paint. The next few layers were primarily touch ups and and additional background detailings. The foreground of the piece is comprised of many abstract strokes and shapes. The foreground is where the chunk of the story resides. It is the location I decided to include the most faces and structures. Direct elements that came about from my research are included as well as more abstract ones. My visual work represents me and my story by being unpredictable, deep, and engaging. This piece was made with the intention of sharing myself to all those who view it. I wanted to create a piece with a size that I felt would engage the viewers. As a fan of art, I love the bigger pieces and wanted to bring some of that scale to my viewers. I want to engage them in an internal dialogue with themselves. I would feel accomplished if I could arise feelings of discomfort and confusion because I believe those are emotions that impact a person. I’m trying to instill a certain feeling of hope in people. I want them to love themselves and have a desire to dive deeper into their psyche and soul. I hope that I can provide them with the keys to unlock their doors of perception.

Sources:

"Stevie Dread." Telephone interview. 19 Jan. 2017.

Personality Test Site. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Jan. 2017.

"An Overview of the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI)." An Overview of the TKI | Kilmann Diagnostics. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Jan. 2017.

"The Myers & Briggs Foundation - Sensing or Intuition." The Myers & Briggs Foundation - Sensing or Intuition. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Jan. 2017.

"Type Seven." The Enneagram Institute. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Jan. 2017.

Https://www.facebook.com/verywell. "Who Was Psychologist Carl Rogers?" Verywell. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Jan. 2017.

"William James." Biography.com. A&E Networks Television, 14 Nov. 2014. Web. 21 Jan. 2017.