During the lifetime of every being, we are only guaranteed one companion that will never leave us: ourselves. And, as with all relationships, we must engage with our partner, growing with them, and shedding the skins that no longer suit us. In this Senior Independent Study Project, I utilized the medium of photography to further explain my own relationship with self and identity. Through the exclusive use of self-portraiture, I was forced to confront all aspects of myself, both the darkest corners and the brightest lights. By taking this in-depth exploration into my emotional and psychological experiences throughout the course of my senior year of undergraduate study, I gained greater understanding of who I was when I began this journey, who I am now, and who I am meant to be in the next chapter. It is my hope that this body of work will not only provide the viewer with a greater understanding of my experiences as I engage with the themes of identity and womanhood, but that they will also leave this exhibition encouraged to turn the lens inward.
Kelsey Nolin ‘20
Advisor: Bridget Milligan
All images copyright © 2020 Kelsey Nolin. All rights reserved.
Stonehenge. Photograph, paint. 36" x 54. 2019.
Ghosts. Photograph, Conte charcoal. 55" x 79". 2020.
Job 12:8. Photographs, acrylic paint, colored pencil. 75' x 108". 2020.
Job 12:8, detail. Photograph, acrylic paint, colored pencil. 13' x 19". 2020.
Breath, detail. Photograph, acrylic paint, colored pencil. 13' x 24". 2020.
PMS, detail. Photograph, colored pencil. 13' x 19". 2020.