In Winter 2023, I studied at the Burren College of Art in Ballyvaughan, Ireland. In general, I am fairly reserved around new people and I struggle to make friends. Upon first impression, I may seem cold, but over time I come out of my shell. The gift of my study abroad experience that I did not expect was the feeling of being part of a warm, supportive community that was fostered by our constant physical proximity to one another. Where I come from, there is a sense of individualism and competition, which are harmful principles that I am trying to renounce.

This synergy caused me to reflect upon notions of individual vs. collective and self vs. others. My piece Ouroboros is a two-panel self-portrait initiated by the question: What if, instead of eating its own tail, the ouroboros was actually using its tail to search for something hidden inside itself? I envision this elusive fragment as a representation of yet-unrealized potential and/or personal truth. I feel it inside myself and long to bring it forth, but the process of doing so is one of endless self-consumption. To truly ‘find myself’, I must look beyond my own sphere and recognize how I fit into larger frameworks.

These reflections also influenced another piece – the top image is called Cast of Characters and the bottom two are Act I and Act II, respectively. Here, abstract shapes are arranged in theatrical ‘tableaus’. Each shape is entirely unique, yet contributes to the larger scene. Viewers can infer various dynamics based on the arrangements, theorizing about why the shapes seem to be treating each other in certain ways. This piece considers human groups or societies and the ways we relate to others.

My time abroad taught me what it is like to be part of a community and made me reflect on my place within it, along with my place in larger groups.