Art is a strong contender of how we share our thoughts and ideas. I created this piece for my Space/Materiality class under the theme of body hybrid. “Flawed Perfection’ is a multi layered story about my past experiences. Im a burn victim and this is a self portrait sculpture. A few years ago while I was studying in my room, I heard the sound of a loud explosion and felt the pain of glass stabbing may cheeks. Seconds later, fire engulfed my face and hair. Everything around me looked like a funeral pyre. My face was so badly scarred it was barely recognizable.
Reflecting back on the past made me realize that I cannot let myself be a prisoner to my fears. I fell in love with makeup as a 5 year old when I looked up at a few teenagers wearing sparkles on their lips and eyes at an event. Intrigued, I asked my mother how old I needed to be to wear the same? Over the years, my fascination, towards makeup and art grew. Even though my passion warranted the conservatives to label me as over expressive, I still stayed persistent in my deviation; evolving to the point where I developed a specialized interest to fuse makeup with special effects. It was my way to artistically define myself and highlight the different parts of my personality. Today, makeup allows me to push all boundaries and try new trends-trying to appear like a human chameleon at times.
This piece is a reflection of my past. I want to inspire people with my art to wear their scars like flowers. These scars can be emotional or physical. Just a shift in perspective can help us recognize that we’re strong, despite our insecurities and the future has a lot in store, despite the past tragedies.
