BFA, Art (Studio Arts – Print and Narrative Forms)

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Artist Statement

“She/They” is my way to publicly come out as non-binary. Although exhibiting this is a celebratory occasion, hanging a self-portrait on the wall and writing an artist statement does not compare to the hard conversations about coming out, and for me, many conversations happened in my living room. “She/They” is a recreation of that safe space. I created portraits of individuals in my support system and framed them in gold to elevate how much they mean to me. At the center is a self-portrait based on an 18th century painting by Jean-Marc Nattier of a duchess dressed as the goddess Hebe. Hebe is the goddess of youth, and to me, a reminder that it’s okay to not have everything figured out. The high-femme style of the portrait represents my struggle with appreciating femme aesthetics but not feeling attached to femininity at the same time.