Identity Informed Then Performed

ECU Author/Contributor (non-ECU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)

Alexandra Ingle (Creator)

Institution

East Carolina University (ECU )

Web Site: http://www.ecu.edu/lib/

Abstract: The concept of identity is constructed by societal means , and for the individual , it may be interpreted in many ways. Identity can be recognized by external means such as the clothes a person chooses to wear , but it can also be internal , as personal as one's spiritual practice. For my own understanding of identity , I was in search of an autonomous version of successful self. However , it is difficult to be completely free of cultural expectations , and I have discovered autonomy is not necessarily the answer. A healthier version of self is the ability to identify with one another. One's own uniqueness , or characteristics that separate the individual from norms , may be understood as positive in a group. I seek positivity for the individual who does not fit standards seen in American culture. My creative output derivative of society's input on the individual is addressed through a series of heads. This body of work is being used as a platform to discuss identity in terms of healthy and unhealthy versions of the self. The human head is complex. It is responsible for our ability to think , perceive , feel , problem solve , create , and communicate. These cognitive traits enable a sense of uniqueness. Similarly , we all share the same attributes such as eyes , nose , mouth , but are all formed in a way that set us apart from others. Each head created is distinct in attributes as well as narrative. The narratives discussed are a critique of societal expectations in hopes of communicating relatable values to belong and identify in the world.

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Language: English

Date: 2017

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