In "Mergence," I interrogate the notion of identity and its dissolution within the environment. Clothed in white against a theatrical paper backdrop, my form begins to blend into the exaggerated throne-like setting. The performance is an exploration of self-erasure, an attempt to visually and symbolically merge with the surroundings until the self is unseen.
The act of merging is both a physical and metaphorical struggle, using materials that resist permanent change. The ice, an emblem of purity and impermanence, is coerced repeatedly with color, yet it rejects this forced identity, melting away the pigment to regain its clarity. This resistance speaks to the intrinsic self that, despite external pressures, remains fundamentally unaltered.
As I interact with the ice, my painted face, feet, and hands stark against the white, there's a poetic play of light and shadow, reflection and distortion. The ice forms a translucent veil that alters my features, creating a visual distortion that reflects the internal turmoil of an identity in flux. This fleeting barrier is a metaphor for the often invisible yet significant forces that shape and reshape our sense of self.
Through the ephemerality of the ice and the act of self-camouflage, "Mergence" invokes a deeper contemplation of materiality and presence. It is a dynamic interplay between being and nothingness, the seen and the unseen, the tangible and the intangible. The installation and performance together craft a narrative that oscillates between emerging and dissolving, prompting viewers to consider the delicate balance between self-definition and the inevitable merge with the greater whole.
