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Sela Almendras - Curatorial Rationale
Inspired by the beauty of those around me, I wanted to explore self expression through art, especially portraiture. Many of my pieces are portraits that capture the features of a person both physically and personality wise since I feel they are codependent on one another in creating the essence of a person. Neither appearance nor personality can stand-alone to fully depict and distinguish someone, even in artwork. In some of my portraits, I try to create an aesthetic using color, backgrounds, and expression that parallels the energy of the person, while others are created with the intent to convey a certain idea or emotion, for example ‘Masked’, ‘Artistic Sublimation,’and ‘Filipina-American Self Portrait.’
My goal when making art is to let the viewer feel what it’s like to be around the person I draw, besides just creating a portrait that resembles the physical appearance of someone. I hope to evoke certain emotions when creating my artwork, whether it's calm, energetic, or intense.
Masked (November 2020)
Tempera paint on canvas, modeling foam, string, tape
16 in. x 20 in. x 3 in.
This 3D piece "Masked" symbolizes the changes caused by Covid-19. Quarantine and social distancing limit the ability to be physically and emotionally intimate with others, and that feeling of detachment is conveyed through the glossy-eyed empty expression. This piece implies being masked in a figurative sense of masking emotions, where detachment is used to avoid confrontation of the longing for intimacy, and in a literal sense where the string resembles the masks worn during the pandemic.
Filipina American Self-Portrait (October 2019)
Oil pastel on canvas
15 in. x 22 in.
I created this portrait to capture my personality, specifically the conflicting Filipino and American identities using the hair to symbolize my experiences in the U.S. and the face to symbolize my Filipino heritage and culture. I used vibrant colors, an intense expression, and a close-cropped composition to depict the confident/ powerful aspect of my personality. However, the cracks symbolize the feeling of trying to completely fit into both cultures to the point where I fit into neither.
Marcel (April 2020)
Alcohol markers, Prisma colored pencils, white ink
6 in. x 9 in.
This is a portrait of Marcel, who has an energetic, fun, and unique personality. I used saturated and vibrant colors to capture his bold personality and friendly energy, which matched the expression of the portrait as well. I created a space-themed background because of his passion for astronomy and astrology.
Osbaldo (March 2020)
Tempra paint
6 in. x 9 in.
This is a portrait of Osbaldo, who is very chill and soft-spoken. I wanted to capture his gentle personality and soft aesthetic through the pastel colors in the background and a similar but more vivid color pallet for his face, hand, and phone. The clouds and stars in the background add to the dreamy mood of the portrait and also serves as a literal interpretation of having his head in the clouds.
Gayle (March 2020)
Soft pastels, Charcoal
6 in. x 9 in.
In this portrait of Gayle, I tried to capture her positive and comforting personality by using warmer-toned colors, especially yellow. I also chose to use soft pastels to emphasize her delicate features.
Artistic Sublimation (February 2020)
Acrylic paint on Guitar, white ink
16 in. x 40 in.
I created this piece to visualize Sublimation, a healthy coping mechanism where one transforms socially unacceptable impulses into socially acceptable actions. The cracks and the black wave symbolize negative emotions like grief, anger, or anxiousness and the bright patterns symbolize forms of art such as music, poetry, and painting used to constructively release those emotions. The words are a segment of a poem I wrote about normalized racism towards Asians in America.
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