Wallflower Self Portrait
Aadi P.
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This piece is titled "Wallflower" and is made with magazine clippings and marker. It started out as a way for me to try collages, but once I started to cut out the flowers another idea came to mind. I ended up using this piece to reflect what it felt like, to me, being a "wallflower" in a culture based to heavily on parties and social interactions. I had little, to no, planning when I started this piece, and quite honestly sat there refusing to ask for help. I ended up making almost a self-portrait, using the flowers instead of my own face. I made myself black-and-white against a colorful background of bright shapes. Having only a few of the shapes actually touching to intersecting with my person was a way to show that I only really feel comfortable around a few people. Overall, this piece was a way for me to express my feelings of isolation, especially when it comes to large social gathers, and my preference to observe rather than speak. I've been called a "wallflower" mostly in a negative sense, but to me it is simply who I am and I don't feel good or bad about that fact.
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Growing up surrounded by the arts, both visual and performing, exploring creativity means exploring myself. Music and dance helped me learn about who I am and what I connect with. Then visualizing it for other people through more of a traditional visual art creates mental comfort in my life.
