Insertable Self is one in a life-long series of self-portraits; a cumulative self-examination of my transitioning identity. The conversation of message and medium are equally important as language mirrors the connection between the physical and mental and it can either empower or demean. Labels change our perceived value to ourselves and to others. These character assassinations, in this case to myself/women, caused by stigmatizing language, shift our assessments of self. While it can be subtle, they have vast ramifications. Defined by one aspect of ourselves or one label, a described physical feature or sexual orientation rather than all our facets, we become a fractured interpretation of the whole.
Insertable Self | 50 x 60” | Digital Collage with video