Subject (Re)Formation
While there’s no such thing as universal experience, there are cultural norms that have predetermined the way a woman engages with the world. Although we think we are individuals, constructing our identity, is a process that begins with being named by others. Our subjectivity is enacted by outside forces and we can never separate cultural biases and norms from how we defined ourselves and are defined by others. Therefore, though not universal, we construct our identities based on a pre-existing structure that has certain demands that eliminate self-determination.
In my work, I am using my body to examine how these outside forces have been used to shape how I view myself, unravel the stereotypes that are placed on me, and find a way to (re)claim my subjecthood.