TASK 1

Me: “The Mask of Conformity”

“I am special, unique, just like everyone else.”

Conformity is the religion of the new age, and identity is the price. The ceaseless selfies, Starbucks sipping and pretentious #ootd (Outfit of the Day) posts on Instagram has reduced us to blind followers of the mainstream. What was once hip and cool now comes off as plain bland, boring and monotonous.

TASK 2

Object as Representation of Self: “Contextual absence”

At 11, I received this pencil from my best friend at a time when I considered pursuing Art in secondary school. It doesn’t appear that big in the first image when a lack of visual context is present but subsequently, the relative size is apparent. The canvas is empty and my expression pensive as I am always concerned with how my works turn out. Seeking the approval of others precedes creating the work. The lack of the former results in the absence of the latter.

TASK 3

My World: “Up close, not personal”

Beauty is in the little things we don’t notice. The colours of fallen leaves at the void deck, the patterns on the letterbox wall and the intricate designs on the front gate we are so used to seeing but never really pay close attention to. But yet, they seem familiar to us despite the odd angles. To an outsider, the relationship with these up close, semi-abstract images seems vague and somewhat ambiguous. To me, they feel like home.

 

REFLECTIONS

As a self exploratory exercise, it fulfilled its purpose as a means of letting me get to know myself better. Expression through imagery is a powerful thing and when it comes to curating oneself, conventional portraiture is not necessary. The subject is no longer restricted to the physical embodiment of the person, but rather it transcends beyond that, to representations of self through objects and places.