My thesis project is centered around the idea of self-reflection and the concept of beauty. The way we perceive beauty in contemporary culture is often dictated by social media and advertisements for companies which profit off of the desire to change one’s appearance. Young women in particular are told that their appearance is the most important thing about them. I have resolved to separate my own perception of beauty from this internalized concept that has been fed to me for my entire life. Through my thesis project, I am documenting this journey of growth and discovery as I separate my self worth from my reflection.

The core themes in my project are reflection, beauty, and growth. The project includes a series of oil paintings made up of reflected self portraits. Utilizing a line of reflection down the center of my compositions, each painting includes a reflected image symbolizing the self and the self that exists in the mirror. As the project evolves, so will the imagery included; with more plant growth surrounding the figures indicating personal growth and increased self-worth existing apart from that which stems from being “beautiful” to others. The body language and growth in the paintings will indicate the stages of this journey, eventually culminating in a lack of separation, with the mirrored figures overlapping and intertwining. This indicates complete acceptance of the appearance and deeming myself as beautiful regardless of society’s standards.

Artist Bio: Jessica Kamman is an emerging artist based in San Diego, California. Working primarily in oil paint, she is currently exploring themes of beauty and the process of unlearning the internalized need to conform to society’s standards. The concept of memory and its vital role in the experience of life has also been a dominant theme in much of her recent work. Her practice also demonstrates her advocacy and interest in issues such as climate change, social justice, and women’s rights. She was the winner of the 2019 Congressional Art Competition for California District 50 and has participated in multiple exhibitions at the Kamil Gallery at UCSD. Kamman is currently finishing her BA in Visual Arts Studio with honors at the University of California San Diego with a concentration in painting.

Additional Recent Work: