Laguna College of Art + Design

In the film American Psycho, Patrick Bateman stares blankly at his reflection in the

mirror as he states, “There is an idea of a Patrick Bateman, some kind of abstraction, but

there is no real me, only an entity, something illusory—I simply am not there.” This famous

scene highlights a theme that I, along with countless artists, writers, and filmmakers, explore

in my work—the idea that the identity we present to others is a performance of a persona

rather than a reflection of one’s authentic self and that perhaps there is no “authentic self”

behind the mask at all. Through my exploration of identity—what it is, how it’s formed,

transformed, and destroyed—I divide my paintings into three categories: a self-portrait series

that focuses on more personal and existential themes, a family series that explores how

identity is shaped by family dynamics and roles, and a series that examines, reinterprets,

and/or subverts popular narratives that center on identity. My painting style, strongly

influenced by German Expressionism, is expressive and direct. I use thick layers of paint,

distorted perspective, collage elements such as stitching, and a lurid palette heavy in yellows

and greens. Theatrical imagery such as stages, curtains, and makeup associated with clowns

and other such performers are common motifs in my paintings. Drawing compositional and

thematic inspiration from literature and film, I create uneasy mise-en-scenes, highlighting the

suffocating effects and psychological damage of grappling with one’s self-identity and of

performing a fake persona.