Monday, December 9, 10:00am – 1:30pm, Owen Hall 203 and via Zoom
Cayla Ritchy
Dr. Suzanne Dittenber
Self-Presertation is a body of work that assesses the multiple internal and external factors that shape our individuality. While gathering research from their subjects, fashion subcultures, pop culture, and other artists exploring identity, the artist created a body of work that comments on how the pressures, expectations, and outside influences around us fuel the interior sense of self and exterior presentations. The multimedia installations created with cutout figures and shapes allow for the transformation of space that goes beyond paint on a rectangular canvas. The body of work is a testament to the strength and uniqueness of each subject and how they have grown from these experiences with external influences and their individual reactions. While each experience is unique, there are shared experiences and struggles that are endured in collectives and connect humanity together: from embracing femininity within a patriarchal world, to accepting and validating queer identity, the pressures of bullying to conform to expectations, and finding yourself through personal style and fashion subcultures. While viewing this research and body of work, the artist hopes the viewers connect with the stories and experiences of each piece and become fully immersed in the installations while potentially discovering more about their own journey of self identity.