strata of the soul

This is an in-depth investigation of the multi-layered and buried complexity of the human condition. We hide our true, raw feelings in an attempt to fit in with the collective whole, and to protect our vulnerable cores. Rules of social etiquette and societal norms perpetuate masks to hide our true being, and in the process, we neglect the essence of who we are; these buried emotions, reactions, and thoughts are what help define us, yet they are the things that are too often lost in the mix.

I endeavoured to explore the human condition by visually portraying layers and then literally peeling them away to see what would happen. To do this, I used texture, line, contrast, and colour to place emphasis on the various stratums of the person. The expression in the lines, the textures in the forms, and the soft use of colour adds a subtlety of emotion and vulnerability. Also, the graduated value of the layers is representative of the graduated investigation into the person. I attempted to draw the portrait without any artificialities and stereotypes; definitive features of gender such as hair and makeup are de-emphasized so that these androgynous portraits spotlight the human experience as a whole. Upon closer inspection, subtle details and expressive mark making are visible. These details add to my exploration, as they are both a technical method I employed for visual richness, and a larger metaphor relating to my central idea. I discovered how hard it was to get rid of the layers, and I realized that what I had been trying so hard to fight was actually an inherent part of the human condition. It wasn’t about getting rid of the layers, but about getting past them. I learned that they are a defense mechanism that keeps us safe, but if we feel comfortable enough, we can allow those vulnerable parts of ourselves to show.