“I”dentity

Curated by: Bella, Camille, Felichi, Julia & Samiha

Curator’s Note:

“The identity cannot be compartmentalized; it cannot be split in halves or thirds, nor have any clearly defined set of boundaries. I do not have several identities, I only have one, made of all the elements that have shaped its unique proportions.

Amin Maalouf

While looking for a theme for our museum, we came across this quote and found that it aligned with the message that we want to express through the works of art we have chosen. In curating our museum we have set out to explore the complex layers of our identities and raise awareness about the importance of embracing the identities of individuals in our subgenres of religion, cultural, social, gender & sexuality, and mental health. We are all such multi-faceted beings so we hope to use art to demonstrate how our diverse and unique identities come together to form a beautiful community of open-minded individuals. 

  When exploring our exhibit, you are welcomed with an image of a human with a head as a mirror. This signifies how we see ourselves in the mirror differently than how other people see us. The mirror only shows us an indeterminate meaning of our identity because what really defines us is not found in our physical appearances but how we choose to belong in society with all of the intersectionalities of our identities. 

In the subgenre of gender and sexuality, we will touch on the idea of how different generations have the freedom to express themselves in terms of how they choose to identify themselves when it comes to gender and sexuality. In addition, the subtopic of religion will focus more on a personal connection that one of our curators has with their religion and how this forms their identity. They will also touch upon the importance of religious tolerance to help people better form their identity. Moreover, the subgenre of culture seeks to express how artists contribute to conveying their identity over vast periods of time within Asian culture. In this subgenre, we will present some 3D structures and paintings across history and one of our curators will discuss their cultural identity more in detail. Under the subgenre of social identity, the artwork chosen was inspired by the Social Identity Theory presented by British psychologists Henri Tajfel and John Turner. This theory proposes how we are greatly influenced by the views others have of us, and the roles we play in specific social circles. Social identity is interconnected with many of the other sub-genres present in this exhibit, as we tend to form communities and groups, bonding over shared beliefs and experiences, with your role as a member of these groups solidifying aspects of your special identity. Lastly, in the subgenre of mental health to express identity, we have curated a selection of poems and music to express how mental illness can often distort our perception of our identity. Mental illness is very different from the other subgenres because often people form “false identities” around a given disorder or illness but mental illness should not define each of our identities. In this category, we hope to convey the toll mental health can take on people and their identities. 

Identity is a prevalent theme in today’s societal landscape, with individuals

grappling with themselves now more than ever as we emerge from a year of social isolation.  Many of us lost ourselves during the pandemic, as our routines, hobbies, and social circles disintegrated. The American Psychological Association reported that 67% of psychologists experienced more patient referrals, an increase from 37% in 2020.  This is coupled with reported increases in depression, anxiety, and stress-related disorders among patients. More people are suffering, though more are also getting help, and with that help comes a new sense of identity and self-perception. Many also turned to the internet, finding communities more accepting and encouraging them to express themselves in new ways.

Overall, these different mediums of art show how these artists are able to convey their experiences and how it makes up part of who they are. Alongside the paintings and songs, we decided to include other forms of art such as photographs, poems, and an image of a bracelet each of us made with a word that summarizes our identity and how we view it. The variety of art in our exhibit ties in the range of subtopics we will be talking about and also allows each individual to express themselves in art forms that they see fit for their given topic while also allowing them the chance to exercise their creative freedoms.

Displayed are five beaded bracelets, each with a different word: “Change”, “Care”, “Anxiety”, “Distracted” and “Clueless”.

These bracelets, each made with plastic beads on an elastic string, were part of an opening exercise that challenged each curator to condense their identities into one word before they began to delve deeper into the specific subcategories present in this exhibit. These bracelets may seem childish in nature due to their bright plastic beading, though the artists were motivated by a sense of childhood nostalgia and reflected on how much their identities have developed over time. This project will also have a lasting impact, as each artist left with a wearable piece of art that allowed for direct expression to the outside world.

Please Explore

As you “walk” through this exhibit and “visit” each “room”, we encourage you to examine how each piece resonates with an aspect of your own identity and to reflect on the internal growth you’ve experienced up until this point in your journey.