"There There" examines the fragile relationship between self-perception and the external forces that shape it. The series considers what happens when our sense of worth becomes dependent on approval, comparison, expectation, and the gaze of others. Rather than resolving this tension, the work visualizes it through distortion, fragmentation, and the gradual destabilization of the human figure.
Each portrait begins as a constructed image distorted in-camera through use of curved glass and layered materials, then further altered through image stacking, and digital fragmentation. These interventions transform the portrait from a representation of a person into a record of psychological pressure.
The work draws from the disruptive logic of Dada, particularly its rejection of conventional ideas of beauty, order, and representation. Through broken symmetry and visual dissonance, "There There" resists the polished clarity traditionally associated with the portrait. The resulting images exist between recognition and obscurity, asking the viewer to confront how much of what they see is shaped by their own expectations.
Ultimately, “There There” invites reflection rather than delivering closure. The title itself evokes a comforting refrain, offering solace in the face of fragmentation. Yet it also serves as a reminder that external comforts can never fully mend the fractures we carry inside. In this way, the series becomes both a critique of validation‑driven identity and a gentle call to seek strength from within, learning to hold ourselves together even when the world around us insists on pulling us apart.
