Self-Portraits
This self-portrait was inspired by The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka. I was 18 when I first read the book. At the time, I disliked it. I did not understand it, and I wondered why it was considered such an important work. Eight years later, I woke up one morning and realized that, like Gregor Samsa, I no longer felt human as if I was turned into a bug.
Psychological turmoil such as loneliness, depression, and anxiety have no physical form, yet it can become just as restrictive and limiting as a physical condition. These experiences can alienate a person not only from their environment and other people, but also from themselves. Through this self-portrait, I depict the difference between physical truth and emotional truth and their parallel existence. While the body may remain unchanged, the inner experience of suffering can deeply change one’s sense of identity and humanity.