Artist Statement

This BFA exhibition explores identity—how it is shaped, concealed, excavated, and unveiled. As a young ballerina, my deep concern with seeking approval made my movements stiff and expressions artificial. An insightful instructor exposed my façade and led me through a meditation. I imagined my rigid shell softening and melting off my fingertips. It was the first time I felt truly free from the false self.

My work in painting, batik, performance art, and mixed media reflects a profound journey—one that continues to unfold. Inspired by my knowledge of geology, I see identity as strata—distinct layers of experience and self-perception that accumulate and shift over time. Just as the Earth’s surface is reshaped by plate tectonics, erosion, and deposition, our sense of being is continuously revealed, altered, and transformed as we navigate through the topography of the real and false self. 

This body of work serves as both an excavation and invitation – encouraging viewers to reflect on their own identities, embrace authenticity, and melt away the false self.