The Puppet
Chris O.
Clay, acrylic paint,
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This piece was part of a project in my ¾ ceramics class, where we were asked to create something inspired by tarot cards. My work reflects my personal journey of trying to find my place as a transgender man. The hand controlling me like a puppet symbolizes the pressure I’ve felt to fit into society’s expectations—both in how I’m seen as a man and as a queer person in a mostly non queer world. Even when I pass as male, I still feel disconnected, like I’m constantly trying to fit into boxes that don’t quite match who I am. The hand puppeteering me represents the outside forces shaping my choices and how I present myself. Through this piece, I wanted to express the struggle of losing myself in others’ expectations. I am the puppet,being controlled by the strings and hands of soceity.
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Creativity is how I make sense of the world around me. While some people write or sing, I turn to drawing and sculpting. It’s always been a part of me;something as essential as breathing or sleeping. Without it, I feel like I’m just going through the motions,but not truly living.