This “found-object portrait” utilizes many elements and interests from my personal life along with my childhood. Old t-shirts, jeans, and ties of mine were contorted to form the humanoid figure, and were painted sporadically to emphasize the  disconnect I feel between past and present. Many aspects, like the color palette and intense red light are stylistic choices akin to those I make in my personal life, like picking what clothes to wear or simply the lighting in my apartment. However, these elements, particularly the lighting, are not usually considered within the static white walls of an exhibition space. This piece represents not only myself, but this deep sense of longing for something beyond. Concepts and things that don’t exist in this reality. This version of myself might be from a comforting haven. Or maybe an eldritch hellscape. Ultimately, it doesn’t really matter, as it’s a reality that is different than our own. A place beyond us, and our primordial knowledge of the universe.