Abstract Xerox: Look Right Through Me & This Is What You'll See

For this abstract project, the sole point was to decontextualize xeroxed body parts. The process itself was nearly 10x as entertaining as the actual finished piece. Going in, I really had no precise visions, just like the flip book I had ideas wandering through my mind and wanted to allow myself the freedom of free thought.

The most intimidating part of the project was finding a location to xerox my body. With limited options, I decided to use the library. Early morning, I made my venture, thankful to see a fairly empty environment. The only scanners available were at the front of the library so I was forced to confront my ego's pride and paranoia and jump right in- starting first with my hands, then, in between checks to see if anyone was looking, attempted scans of my chest and face.

Miraculously, not even ten minutes in, the nicest woman, Meril, who I later discovered was the library director, acted as my abstract art guardian angel. (I intend on surprising her with much deserved thank you flowers!) As I took just a moment to describe the project to her, she immediately became intrigued and invested in helping the cause, offering to bring me to the back room location where I could not only use the scanner for free, but in PRIVACY.

Here was a woman who knew full well what I needed to do and without question, only genuine desire to help, aided in a process that would have been near impossible otherwise. Left in a room alone, with the occasional one or two faculty coming through, I embarked on my creative escapades, remaining sneaky throughout so as not to get caught mid strip.

Surprisingly, it became difficult to stir new ideas of body parts and positions to copy- even lifting myself onto the copier to scan my behind took strategy to avoid the possible nightmare of breaking the glass and/ or being seen.

After being so exposed to nudity in class and seeing how embedded it is in the art world, I pushed myself outside of the box, beyond my comfort zone, to include my own private parts. The inclusion of my breast, nipple in clear view specifically,  was something that although it appears small, represents a deep vulnerability and bravery- openly revealed to the rest of the world.

As I scanned different parts of my body, I couldn't help but recognize the distinct clarity of freckles, hairs and shapes that are normally overlooked or easily hidden. In a way, once again, it was a reflection of vulnerability as I saw different parts of myself, in their natural state flawed.

Putting the entire piece together, I decided to build upon a wooden crate from Home Depot left over from our grid project. Bound by instinct to make compositions symmetrical, I started out, inspired by PansLabryinth, putting ears on hands as eyes, hair flowing freely from the top, but then I just broke free from the shell and started setting limbs extending out of the box, groping curves and flowing freely with a growing theme of carnal freedom and sexuality. The parts pasted include lips, fingers, hands, arms, breasts, my bottom and hair. I think the image strongly reflects free movement and femininity. The piece is so decontextualized it at first appears entirely chaotic and random but it only takes a second longer to recognize and decode the images.

This entire process was incredibly unique and rewarding and most of all, a push in a new, bold direction to feed my more adventurous self. Art truly is all about self reflection and the power of it's therapy and poetic nature ceases to amaze me. I feel so much more in touch with myself, comfortable and curious, after spending so much time on these projects and studying different movements and periods in class. It's often difficult to make time, but just like writing, art is a passion well deserving of attention, that will only enrich every one's sense of worth and connection to life, at least my own, that I'm sure of.