Artist Portfolio

MFA Thesis - Fantasy Self

To date, my thesis paper which accompanies the interactive photographic exhibit, has been downloaded over 400 times from the GSU Opus portal.

If you wish to read the paper it can be found here https://opus.govst.edu/theses/73/

Thesis Abstract

If you could be anything what would you be? The Fantasy Self is a visual and psychological examination of fantasy personas, analyzed using the vehicles of photography and Jungian psychology. The subjects are photographed as their fantasy self and then psychoanalyzed with the intention of making the connections between the subconscious mind and the conscious mind. The Collective Unconscious is comprised of twelve major archetypes, each with their own set of distinct characteristics. The Innocent, The Orphan, The Warrior, The Caregiver, The Seeker, The Destroyer, The Lover, The Creator, The Ruler, The Sage, The Magician, and The Fool. Every human being has components of all twelve in their psyche. At each stage in life, the hierarchy of the active archetypes will change. The intention of the thesis is to make connections between the subjects’ active archetypes and their fantasy personas. Understanding that fantasy does not live in the ether, but lives in our subconscious mind, helps one develop a relationship to one’s fantasy as a tool for therapy and a path to self awareness.

If you are interested in examining your fantasy self. The following links were used for the project.

The 12 Archetypes Explained A brief description of the 12 archetypes and their characteristics.

The Archetype Quiz A 72 question quiz to determine which archetypes are most active in your life at the moment.

Quiz Results After taking the quiz, use this results page to tally your answers to find out which archetypes are most active in your present life.

The images below are excerpts from the project.

Fine Art Portfolio: I have always been drawn to exploring portraiture in my fine art photography. My artist statement describes my connection to the genre.

Artist Statement. If reality is perception, and like fingerprints, perception is uniquely individual, the inevitable question remains “Can true interpersonal understanding exist?” Applying that concept to portraiture, philosophically the idea of conveying the truth is an illusion. The artists responsibility is to embrace this malleable illusion, shaping it and shifting it, in an attempt to convey meaning. Subject as self has it’s place in the realm of the representational, but subject as object is where the real power of portraiture lies. As object, the subject can transform into symbols representing a vast array of concepts within any given context that the artist can imagine. It is through these symbols that the artist constructs complex metaphorical bridges with the intention of blending perceptions to create a collective truth.