Self Portrait
This sculpture, made entirely from donated and unused second-hand items, is my self portrait. Wanting to convey how those around me shape and define my identity, I asked my friends, family members, neighbors, and schoolmates to donate old and damaged household items that were no longer in use.
With donations ranging from bleached, shrunken clothing and dusty cookbooks to malfunctioning electrical appliances, my community was generous with their offerings. Centering the piece around a soiled suitcase, I wanted to portray the bittersweet journey of growth: I pack and carry with me the stories, lessons, and experiences that I have accumulated with the people who matter the most to me. Yet, in the end, I spray paint the piece with a pure white, signifying both the end and the beginning of a new era—a blank canvas open to new possibilities.
