Self Laid Bare

The photos in Self Laid Bare document an ongoing ritual of self transformation. In order to dethrone the old self image I have constructed over my lifetime, I stand in front of a mirror and draw on my body. Watching my reflection change before my eyes dissolves my identity and I am propelled on a journey of discovery where my psyche is laid bare. My goal is to find a new self image that mirrors my longings rather than society’s traditional ideals of beauty and behaviour. Some times I look into the mirror and imagine living in a society where beauty is defined as the outward expression of inner strengths or wisdom gained in one’s lifetime. How can I express qualities such as bravery, intuition, or compassion with body ornamentation? I reflect on how the long history of body ornamentation is interwoven with human identity. Body art such as permanent tattoos, or temporary makeup and clothing, has been used to show an individual's place in society, to enhance beauty, and to confirm group identity and affiliation. For many people in contemporary society, it is a way to challenge cultural assumptions about identity, and to claim control of the body. Although the desire to invent ourselves isn’t a new phenomenon, our current society seems preoccupied with self invention and the tools used to shape the self. Endeavours such as plastic surgery, dieting, self help books, extreme makeover TV, social media’s likes, tweets and selfies reinforce our belief that the making of our identity is in our control. I am curious about how increased authorship of identity changes our experience of life.