Body and Soul

Artist Statement: When I was younger, I read a story about a girl who wished she wasn’t trapped in her body. Instead she wished she could be a frog or bird, so that she could jump high or fly. Inspired by this story, I captured the feeling of having a spirit that’s too big for your physical body. The image is a self portrait; the flowers burst out of a stone depiction, cracking the portrait in the process. In my drawing, the flowers symbolize the internal spirit, since they are beautiful and full of life. They also represent the idea of apotheosis, where the body dies to become something greater. I brought attention to the eye through detail and contrast, because it is a symbol of enlightenment. I choose to place less value in the hair and mask, to put more focus on the flowers and the face - the “body and soul.”