Nicole Antonietta Portfolio 2023

During my years in preschool, my teachers took upon themselves to punish me for talking. For example, they gave me my first public humiliation by calling me a “disgusting goat” in front of the whole class, and they would often make me sleep next to ants during nap time because they knew I was terrified of ants after having stepped on an ant hill. These punishments were meant to demotivate me from using my voice, and it was successful. Moments like these taught me that I didn't belong, so I started talking less in fear of annoying people and getting punished. However, once I started to pursue fashion design, I realized I can use my art as a voice to bring about necessary changes for society and express myself as an individual.

My artistic process often begins with taking inspiration from the world around me; whether it be through music, philosophy, nature or literature. Whether I’m designing clothes or creating a work of art, I draw on archetypal and religious symbols to convey a message in a manner that grabs the viewer’s attention. 

The majority of my portfolio focuses on perception of the human body and how people tend to glorify and sexualize body parts. In my portfolio, I want to demonstrate that human bodies are meant for so much more than appealing to others on a physical level or meeting society’s superficial expectations. Our culture tends to focus too closely on the circumference of a person's waist and hips, overlooking the importance of organs that really impact the quality of our lives. By taking imagery from the interior of the human body and presenting it on the exterior, I aim to change the viewer’s perspective of their own body as well as those around them.