one zero nine

How are we known to ourselves? In my practice I seek to reveal myself, to myself. During the summer of 2019 I took on the personal challenge of painting a daily self-portrait. For what was an uninterrupted 109 days I set out to trace the emotional and intellectual paths of my experience of myself.  Each painting is accompanied by a written journal entry in attempt to capture, in words and paint the process of confronting my reflection and my self-image, to meditate on my internal dialogue as well as further develop my painting skills.  In using text and image I sought to isolate linguistic and textural traces and sensations that might aptly reflect my drive to simultaneously create and purge the thoughts that both enable and hinder me. Transcribing my internal dialogue, I document the most intimate sensations of moving through the work of focusing on my image; moments of self-love and personal revulsion. Performing a daily practice had the unexpected gift of periodically finding myself taking pleasure in moments of uncertainty and creative flux that would have previously caused me internal turmoil. In working with rigid parameters, I was forced to confront the discomfort of facing my limits and confessing my insecurities – a process that eventually enabled me to move towards confidence and question some of the internalized mechanisms of self-effacement.  As I moved forward with my practice, I continued investigating my psychological conditioning while pushing for a deep sense of self-awareness. 

So here goes - starting with day one April 27th 2019