When I watch a coming of age film, I feel seen. When I watch an action film, I feel like I can do anything. When I watch a tragedy, I feel the sadness lingering.
Film and television creates a world for the viewer to immerse themselves in, fictional characters turning into friends or enemies and worlds turning into reality, but where does the line of relatability end for us? Does the impact of film and television end with the credits? When I think of my self identity, I think of myself as a collage of everything I have consumed, from shitty rom-coms to award winning dramas. I see myself in the protagonists of my favourite film and television, in my thoughts and feelings, goals and ambitions, values and experiences.
I find myself asking this question through my practice. Who is my authentic self without the influence of media, or does my authentic self exist at all? I use collage to compare the similarities and differences between my lived experiences and the narratives in film and television. The pixelated effect in my paintings are windows into this exploration of my self identity while paying homage to the presence of digital media in my work seen through film stills and screen captures of movies such as Moonlight and Lady Bird, and television series such as Bridgerton, Mr. Robot and Grey’s Anatomy.
