What is identity?

How do we form identity? What does it mean to truly find oneself? How are we supposed to become our own person in a culture that tells us who we should be, where we should live, and what we should do?

These are the questions my artworks explore. 

We live in a culture that confines us to predefined boxes, and we gladly jump into them. We impose unrealistic expectations on ourselves and then break our own hearts when we fail to meet them. We use social media as a platform for constant comparison, measuring our status and identity against others. We compare ourselves endlessly, wishing to be more like the people we see on the screen. We often define our identity by our jobs, our possessions, or our social status rather than by our stories and personal experiences.

My work seeks to uncover and celebrate our truest selves—the parts of us we don’t always share online. The fragmented forms in my art represent the puzzle we assemble throughout our lives. Some pieces feel too big or too small, but together, they shape who we are today. This fragmentation mirrors not just identity, but also the fluidity of human emotions and relationships. 

In my work, I often deconstruct pieces, cutting them into several parts and reassembling them into new pieces. These fragmented elements reflect the way identity is pieced together over time, through moments of clarity, confusion and growth. The process of assembling these fragments mimics the human struggle to reconcile the various pieces of who we are. 

The physical act of assembling, cutting and piecing together my works mirrors the journey of self-discovery. Each decision in the studio, whether to keep a fragment or discard it, parallels the decision we make about what to embrace or let go of in our own identities. 

I employ stark contacts in my composition to underscore the tension between society's expectations and personal authenticity. Bold, defined edges often meet blurred areas, symbolizing the conflict between how we present ourselves and how we truly feel inside.

The color in my work accentuates the diverse experiences and influences that contribute to our unique identities. Vibrant tones represent formative experience or moments of joy, and muted or darker hues capturing the shadowed, forgotten parts of ourselves. By blending and contrasting these palettes, I aim to create a visual dialogue about how different experiences interact to form a complete imperfect self. 

Through my art, I aim to challenge viewers to embrace all aspects of themselves, even the parts they wish to forget or change. We are who we are because of the sum of our individual experiences. My artwork is deeply personal, but it speaks to the shared struggles in a globalized, comparison driven world.