Thesis Work

As The Looking Glass is my 2021 Senior Independent Study project at The College of Wooster. ATLG consists of 5 main elements: Portraiture, video, meditation, journaling, and cultural analysis. In the wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, I decided to use my thesis as a tool for therapeutic introspection. 

 I engaged in a 30-day challenge where each day entailed 30 minutes of meditation, followed by 10 minutes of journaling, then finished with creating a self-portrait concerning the topic focused on for that day. The matter of the day was picked from the list of 30 personality traits and past experiences that played key roles in building the person I am today. Rather than painting these portraits on canvas boards, 12x12in. mirrors were used to further push the narrative and experience of reflection, both for the creator and audience. Post-challenge, I chose three primary themes to analyze in terms of how American society engages with them: Black Womanhood, Queerness, and Gender Fluidity.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This project includes the following themes: Racism, sexual assault, misogynoir, mental health, and gender and sexuality.