Lily Massie

This is a self portrait that represents a period of struggle in my life. During the time of me making this piece I was recovering from a major surgery. The surgery made me unable to do the things I most enjoyed at the time. One of the biggest being rowing. The color of my skin represents water, showing that crew is an important part of my life. The pose and facial expression show my longing for the “normal” that I once had.

This piece symbolizes the influence society has on women and how it can affect them. It explores the aspect of beauty and how it can’t be defined by one race, ethnicity, or individual. It also depicts how this influence has caused conflicts between women (the piece being in a “Beauty Pageant” setting). The silhouettes or “shadows” in the background represent her competition, who she is competing against literally (in a pageant) and on a day to day basis (comparing herself to others/others comparing her to themselves).

This piece plays on the idea that women are often viewed as fragile and delicate, much like a flower. It also represents how women are seen as “pretty things to look at”, similar to a flower. Each head represents a woman from a different nationality and surrounding them are the flowers from their respective countries. Jamaica with the lignum vitae, China with the plum blossom, and India with the lotus.

This piece represents finding oneself in the world. The blooming flower symbolizes a person growing into who they are supposed to become. They are showing their true potential as well as their true colors.