Restricted Movements
Freeform Grad Exhibition MHC, 2021
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Charcoal, 3.75 x 6 in
Artist Statement: My feelings of discomfort surrounding my body and being have become more intense as I enter early adulthood, like an adolescent awkwardness I haven’t been able to shake off. Around me, I see my friends thriving in their newfound independence that often comes with this stage of life. They experiment and express themselves with appearances, social action, and sexuality; all aspects of my own life that feel unclaimed. It leaves me mourning for a life I think has already passed me by, or the version of myself I could have become. These pressures manifest themselves as resentment and sometimes hatred towards myself and my body. I feel restricted just by existing as me.
I often consume media to cope with these feelings, and film specifically has become very important to me. The way a film frames its subjects as part of a bigger picture. What was a body now becomes a composition of shapes and colour and movement. So much can be expressed by the way you frame something.
My series of short animations and their hand drawn stills show brief glimpses of my body in movement confined to a small frame. This confinement and harsh contrast evokes feelings of tension and discomfort to mirror my feelings towards myself. Through the theme of Freeform, I’ve been able to explore merging the raw and human elements of charcoal drawings with my love for cinematography. These pieces are the result of acknowledging my issues with myself and framing them into something beautiful.
Photos from show installation by Kira Vlietstra.
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