Nadia Bauman

Artist Statement: My AP Fine Art 4 portfolio demonstrates the internal and external phobias and struggles I have overcome not only as an artist, but also as a gay female. The monster in my graphite piece titled “Lullaby” is the embodiment of internalized homophobia, which gives explanation as to its crude gesture. Continually, this theme is also apparent in my printmaking piece, “Who Am I?”. I had created this work during a time in which I was struggling to accept myself for who I am due to the pressures of the heterosexual normative society surrounding me. As soon as we are born, society immediately forces this normality upon others, thus implanting rotten seeds of internalized homophobia within oneself. However, these seeds, if watered right and given the correct amount of sunlight, can grow into something much more; acceptance of oneself. “Growth”, my self portrait piece, illustrates this process. This is a theme in which I hope to continue to develop throughout my time at CIA in order to give the people, like me, a voice within this male-predominated world.

There are a few pieces I have added that are not part of my AP portfolio, such as “Alas, Poor Yorick!” and “Art?!”; however, they are pieces I have done as warm-ups as well as for fun.