My project, The Imaginary Enemy, inspired by Jungian shadow theory on the repressed subconscious, explores how we treat repressed aspects of the self. Our relationship with our shadow shows a strong disconnect from who we truly are. Internal emotions are neglected and ignored, creating a distorted sense of identity. Feelings crave to be experienced and shared. They reveal to us information about who we are. Dismissing them is a disservice to the knowledge they provide us. I use my practice as a method of exploring art as a healing tool through process and experience. Abstracted oil paintings depicting figures confined in deep edge frames reveal the internal self trapped within, struggling to break free. Floating uncanny ink portraits include the viewers in this journey. Being unaware of your surroundings will confront you with one of these distorted figures, encouraging mindfulness of their environment, and most importantly themselves. The repressed subconscious escapes out from behind the painting through a projected amorphous animation emulating the ever changing self.
