UNSEEN

Self-Portraiture · New York City · 2026

Created during NYU Summer High School Photography & Imaging.

Artist Statement:

A typical self-portrait is expected to reveal who someone is. In this series, I question whether we ever truly see ourselves that way. My work explores how self-image is shaped by societal expectations, social media, and impossible standards of beauty and identity. Rather than creating idealized portraits, I use harsh lighting, motion blur, embroidery, and unconventional compositions to visualize self-judgment and insecurity. The thread covering my face and body represents the desire to hide the parts of ourselves we believe are not enough. Because the thread physically alters the photograph, it reflects how criticism can become embedded in our self-perception. I also use off-center compositions and obscured faces to convey invisibility and disconnection. In one photograph, colored threads emerging from a phone represent the constant stream of comparisons and ideals consumed online. Ultimately, the series asks whether our identities are truly our own or have been stitched together by the expectations surrounding us.