Visualizing the Self, A Family Series
Visualizing the Self, A Family Series has served as an outlet to experiment with my interest in visualizing information as a means to develop my personal practice and learn more about my family dynamics.
The exhibition includes sculptural pieces created through the process of rendering shapes in wire that were brazed, wrapped with embroidery floss, and installed with a careful consideration of lighting and shadows. The portraits are developed by incorporating the physical analysis of photographs through drawing, tracing, and coloring on separate sheets of paper. The sheets were scanned and edited with adobe software, allowing me the ability to layer and color the color-blocked portrait with the outline being laser cut.
The body of work portrays my four siblings and me as I set out to analyze hard and abstract data to draw conclusions about our compatibility and closeness. The Big Five Inventory personality test served as my connection to the field of psychology as it breaks down the self into the following five dimensions: agreeableness, conscientiousness, openness to experience, extraversion, and neuroticism.
The portraits, as well as sculptures composed of triangular shapes present data pulled directly from the individual’s placement in each of the dimensions and are able to function as graphs based on a key that I formulated.
The portraits, as well as sculptures composed of triangular shapes present data pulled directly from the individual’s placement in each of the dimensions and are able to function as graphs based on a key that I formulated.
The unique accompanying forms were created by participants assigning each dimension a color and shape that would be utilized to design our own abstract version of self.
The idea stems from Wassily Kandinsky’s color theory test given to students in his Bauhaus class. I drew inspiration from his ability to assign colors to shapes and defend his choices. Additionally, I considered Sol Lewitt’s conceptual art instructions when carrying out the process of collecting and realizing the designs.
It is my hope that viewers are able to take a moment and reflect on their relationships with loved ones when interacting with this series. Above all, it’s important to feel grateful for what makes us all unique in our own groups, and what draws us closer to one another–going beyond any similarities or differences.
It is my hope that viewers are able to take a moment and reflect on their relationships with loved ones when interacting with this series. Above all, it’s important to feel grateful for what makes us all unique in our own groups, and what draws us closer to one another–going beyond any similarities or differences.
Adele Dooner ‘25
Advisor: Bridget Murphy Milligan
All images copyright © 2025 Adele Dooner. All rights reserved.
