dePerson

concept

The dePerson series was a continuance to my undergrad research of psychological conditions effecting people physically.  It is about a form of dissociation called Depersonalization.  According to Daphne Simeon’s research, Depersonalization is a form of dissociation leading to an individual’s subjective state of feeling estranged, detached, or disconnected from their own being.  People suffering from this disorder avoid telling others, including doctors, because they do not think it is believable.  There are out-of-body experiences causing the inability for the person to control thoughts and movements. It is one of the many ways the brain can protect itself from emotional pain too difficult to handle.

Within the paintings, I decided to overlap an individual with themselves in aerial view to imitate the out-of-body experiences. I included the out-of-focus television to simulate the static and disconnect the person is going through. Elaborating the television screen along with the overlapping figures is to demonstrate the feeling as if they are watching oneself from a distance. This visual representation of a distorted reality is to give the viewer an empathetic interpretation of this condition. I want these paintings to serve as a catalyst while interacting with others about these avoided topics. My hope is to bring awareness to the commonality of the many suffering from its many varieties and potentially make individuals feel more comfortable to handle their pain and anxiety.