Self-Portrait

This self-portrait represents an era of my life that was difficult and disordered. The character that I presented myself as is a recreation of one of Matisse’s women in his painting Bathers with a Turtle (1907-08). After a recent exhibition of his that I attended, I felt drawn to this introspective and rather sad subject. In my painting, I rendered the breasts to show how I often feel objectified or depersonalized in today’s society. The eye, rendered deliberately, confronts the viewer, signaling that I am aware and watching—creating a sense of discomfort that encourages reflection.