Pope - Deconstructed Self Portrait

Nails puncture the canvas board challenging the idea of a traditional painting surface and contributing added surface and dimensionality to the piece. A caricature­-like portrayal of myself in conjunction with an absent mouth draws attention to the seemingly out of place nails which act as a protective barrier between myself and others. A self­-diagnosed introvert, I often find it difficult to connect socially. The physical exertion of piercing nails through the board mimicked the difficulty encountered when bringing myself to utter a few words in an uncomfortable social situation. By filling a balloon full of red house paint and smashing it on the mouth of nails, I was able to physically illustrate the mental and physical strain that can accompany a simple social obligation.