"ACCEPTANCE"
"Acceptance" is a mixed media paper-mâché craft that aims to represent and creatively depict
how an artist shows and sees themselves, for our academic finals.
My work represents my self and how I found my true colors. The Internet or Social Media was my means of escape because it is where I can be authentic, and express myself more. And it's because in society you are bounded by rules, social constructs, and status/gender roles. No one should choose who I should be, not even myself. I should learn to be proud and confident of my self, and not to gain people's favor. It's okay to be different, it's okay to be short, emotional, Asian, white, gay, choose art as a profession, or whatever. There is no reason for one to marginalize anything about your authenticity, and you should never feel bad about yourself.
You are you. You are unique.
You do not need the acceptance of others.
You only need the acceptance from yourself.
THE MEANING BEHIND THE WORK
The subject is me holding a MAC window frame with the title head "Acceptance.jpeg". The colors of my body and surroundings are vivid and lively inside the frame, but ugly and dark outside the frame. It is to symbolize how I find joy and life through technology or mainly the internet because it's where I felt free and allowed to be who I am since I am very much restricted from what I have to do, say, wear, and act like in person. I bloom and blossom online - represented by the pink roses sprouting through the corners. The virtual world is means of escape from the reality I dread and suffer from - represented by the miscellaneous objects outside the frame e.g. crumpled papers, broken pencil, deflated balloon, etc.
In my mind, body, and flesh I am true and proud of myself. Rainbow streaks of paint on my cheeks representing how I am an out and proud gay man. A golden heart on my chest. And A family, friends, and work-oriented person. With a golden heart on my chest.
My hands are the ones I rely the most, they carry my achievements and my downfalls. In my right hand I carry a golden medal and a "very good" stamp - representing my accomplishments and goals that I carry 'til today. On the other hand, my left hand, is covered with wristbands but underneath are self-harm scars. Yet my left hand is still reaching out, to show how despite being in so much pain, I still want to reach out and over my hand to others.
Our world is ugly but that doesn't mean we ourselves are as well. Embrace yourself and fine your inner joy, and little by little, we will break out of our mold to stand proud and tall. Because in the end, it is yourself who you need to please, not them. It all starts with you.
This work is dedicated to Ms. Pao, my Understanding The Self college professor. Thank you so much. I learned and understood a lot about myself and who I actually am. Thank you for guiding me and telling me it's for me to feel this way, and showing my potential as a student. I am so grateful.
