This work explores the conflict that exists between the outward persona people construct and the way they truly feel about themselves. Each sculpture consists of two interlocking wire figures exploring this relationship. One figure is in the role of the outside character each person presents to the world: the daring performer, bold leader, audacious teacher. The other figure, interwoven with the outer persona, is the internal person, who exemplifies the aspects of each individual that the outside person conceals.

The sculptures were inspired by conversations I held with other individuals who experienced this internal struggle. I am intrigued how aspects of their identity have been amplified or encouraged both by social expectations, and also by their roles in leadership positions. These community roles cause them to be perceived in a certain way by the people around them, and these perceptions affect their sense of self. While each person expresses a unique identity, there is a common theme: there is always conflict that exists between the way individuals present themselves and the way they feel about themselves. The outside figure is a performed version of a person’s identity, which masks the other half of the identity as concealed, internal, hidden.

The wire creates a vulnerability in the sculptures. They threaten to become transparent, which questions how real this constructed identity is. The color wire of the external figure draws the eye of the viewer just as the outside person engages with the world. Conversely, the internal figure is represented by white wire, as the internal figure seeks to blend into its surroundings, overpowered by the external persona. The two figures in each sculpture overlap, which demonstrates how both sides are parts of the same person. Neither the internal person nor the external person is a truer form of a person’s identity; rather, they work together to create the complete individual, despite the external character’s efforts to deny the internal one.