I've been thinking a lot about reflections lately - family, friends, relationship dynamics, co-creation as well as the simultaneous beauties and dangers of interdependence. It's fascinating to me how easy it can be to slip into taking people, things or one's own existence in general for granted, over and over and over again! Sometimes we can access states of bliss or harmony and for periods of time (however brief or extended) we are able to remain in complete awe, gratitude and reverence of the vast wonders in this LIFE... but then a single blow to the ego, whether it resulted from a new desire, some unmet expectation or just the fluctuation of subtle but ever-flowing energy waves that can leave us feeling temporarily bored or dispassionate, and BOOM, we forget it all! The more we can remind ourselves of the truly precious nature of our reality, in which each and every person we meet is an opportunity to evolve and grow; bringing with them a whole new set of lessons- unique to that individual and your shared connection, the more we will experience it as such...
This is a series I did in a portfolio class at SCAD, for which I dressed up and posed as stereotypical characters inspired by my closest family members and friends at the time. Using myself as the canvas, with exaggerated personality traits and over animated facial expressions in my portrayals, the photographs became caricatures rather than portraits, mocking our tendency to unintentionally (or intentionally) label those around us. The playful nature of these pieces is intended to dispute the value and accuracy of these silly boxes we try to place people in... especially since we are essentially just reflections of each other - manifestations of the same nature.
"The beauty you see in me, is a reflection of you."
~ Rumi ♥