The series “Selfhood” was in part inspired by the proverb “The Eyes Are The Window To The Soul” and a desire to challenge the need to see the eyes within a portrait. The intention in each portrait is to create a character and a narrative and encourage an empathy without the visual stimulation of the eyes.
My intent in each image is to challenge the viewer’s traditional reliance on the eyes as the focal point of the portrait and instead focus on the emotion the character is portraying. The conscious composition of each image gives the character a foundation in reality whilst combining fantastical creative elements to challenge the viewer’s preconceptions surrounding the connotations of each individual outfit and distinctive concealment of the eyes.
The viewer is inspired to make their own inferences about the subject’s persona and circumstance by drawing on personal connections and interpretations to each image, whether these be from memory or culture. Therefore each portrait in the series can take on a number of different identities depending on links made by the viewer to their own experiences and opinions.
Vicky Martin.
instagram: @vickymartinphoto
