Fragmented Identities as Hybridity. Searching for belonging in a cultural “third space”.
Eliza Byrne’s practice examines the cultural “third space,” where identity is shaped not within a single culture but through the interplay of multiple cultural worldviews. This space emerges through multicultural or transnational experiences, in which individuals spend significant periods living across different cultures and countries. Here, identity is not fixed or traditionally rooted; rather, it evolves fluidly, conceptually, and relationally.
In Fragmented Identities as Hybridity, Byrne draws on her lived experience as a Third Culture Kid to produce placeless portraits that question notions of belonging and identity formation. These works invite viewers to consider the complexities of displacement—whether chosen or imposed—and the challenges it poses for developing a sense of home. For those familiar with such liminality, the work offers recognition; for others, it opens a window into the in-between cultural space that many inhabit.
