Art Portfolio

Artist Statement:

Forget going to the zoo—just go to my high school. At first glance, people aren’t as interesting as elephants or giraffes. But a closer look at human behavior is all you need to realize that we are crazy, illogical, and entertaining creatures.

My portfolio is based on concrete observations of human behavior around me. Why do my friends refuse to tell me about the summer internship they got? Why do people do drugs even though it’s bad for them? I use the animal kingdom as a control group. When you juxtapose animal behavior and Gen-Z behavior, you realize how absurd Gen-Z behavior is. Art is a mirror to show us the truth about ourselves.

Through the process of creating this portfolio, I’ve realized that humans can be weak and hypocritical. We say we want to do what’s best for ourselves and each other, but we fall into illogical and self-destructive cycles of behavior. Even the man-made inventions that are supposed to help us, like technology, ironically set us back. In a way, my portfolio is a wake-up call for my generation to turn things around.

1. Still Life

Materials: Charcoal, colored pencil, watercolor

Dimensions: 14” by 22”

In terms of survival, plants are smarter than humans. Plants will find a way to thrive anywhere they are. All they need is sun and some water. You see plants in gardens, and you also see them growing out of rocks, out of sidewalk cracks, or in a freeway median.

But people aren’t as wired to thrive. People do drugs, starve themselves, or scroll on their phones instead of sleeping. We slowly kill ourselves on purpose.

Why do humans intentionally sabotage their own survival?

2. Where's Machu Picchu?

Materials: 3D printing, air-dry clay, acrylic, foam boards

Dimensions: 30” by 45”

The rabbit and the turtle texting about Machu Picchu when it’s right in front of them only looks silly because it is a rabbit and a turtle. If we swap out these animals with people, we accept this as normal because we see this all the time. People sit at tables and text on their own phones, looking for social connection online when they could just pick their heads up and talk to the person in front of them.

3. Gatekeeping

Materials: Air-dry clay, newspaper shreds, acrylic

Dimensions: 28” by 33”

Gatekeeping (verb) ɡeɪt.kiː.pɪŋ : a Gen Z term that means withholding good or useful information from someone else.

Just like the rabbit lying about its garden, my peers and I lie about having summer internships, getting an A on a test, whether we studied for that test or not, and if we’re studying for the SAT. Does this gatekeeping really get us ahead? Probably not. But it gives us a false sense of superiority and power.

4. Drowning in Emojis

Materials: Air-dry clay, chopsticks, string, balloons

Dimensions: 3’ by 3’ by 3’

The average person scrolls through 300 feet of social media daily—about the height of the Statue of Liberty. We’re literally drowning in information, represented in the artwork by a sea of emojis.

Technology allows access to more ideas. But this is detrimental if used to the extreme. Especially with AI on the rise, technology is bombarding people with curated ideas and dictating what people think.

5. Ragebaiting

Materials: Acrylic, air-dry clay, wooden stick, string

Dimensions: 18” by 36”

Rage-bait (noun) RAYJ-bayt : a Gen-Z term that means using provocative behavior to fish for attention.

Just like the rabbit teasing the rat with a block of cheese, people make controversial social media posts to get more engagement and likes. As with gatekeeping, rage-baiting gives people a false sense of superiority and power.

6. Turtle-ly Fake

Materials: Acrylic, cardstock, iPads, string

Dimensions: 3’ by 4’

Social media accounts are like turtle shells that you can hide your true self under. Instead of being real, curate your persona on the outside of your shell to present a fake and perfect image to the world.

Technology allows people to understand each other better. By “each other,” I mean the fake, airbrushed versions of each other. Social media supposedly enhances connections, but it’s made connections less authentic than before.

7. It's ok to be ok

Materials: Mirrors, dry-erase markers

Dimensions: 3’ by 4’

This mirror is bombarded with questions. How are you feeling? Do you have anxiety? Are you sure you’re not depressed? You can barely see your true self.

There is an over-fixation on mental health in my generation. Increasing awareness about mental health is good, but only until people start thinking they have a disorder when they really don’t.

8. #girlhood

Materials: Clay, mascara brush

Dimensions: 12” by 16”

The definition of “pretty” changes over time, but what never changes is how badly people want to be pretty.

Sometimes, reaching for unrealistic beauty standards is unhealthy and causes suffering. But survival as a human doesn’t always mean prioritizing physical wellbeing. Just like how we need food and water, we also need to look good and get social approval.

9. Modern Lady and the Tramp

Materials: Acrylic

Dimensions: 16” by 20”

With AI on the rise, technology is increasingly taking over the abilities that were once unique to people. Many of my friends now talk to ChatGPT if they have a problem instead of consulting their parents or friends. AI tells people what to think, how to think, maybe even how to feel. Thoughts, feelings, and romance were originally trademarked as human, but AI is disrupting this monopoly. Are we ready to let robots supersede humans?

10. Generational Gossiping

Materials: Foam boards, cut-out pictures, colored pencil

Dimensions: 16” by 50”

Although gossiping seems like a Gen-Z thing, it’s universal. These museum rooms show people gossiping through the caveman era, the Victorian era, and our world today.

I am only examining Gen-Z behavior in my portfolio, but it’s important to remember that some of our generation’s quirks are a result of fundamental human behavior that has existed since the beginning of time. Gossip is in the human DNA.

11. Ghosted Away

Materials: Wood, acrylic, 3D printing

Dimensions: 2’ by 4’

The rabbit and turtle text back and forth until the turtle suddenly ghosts the rabbit. No reason given. Typical day, typical interaction.

Is a friendship really a friendship if it can evaporate in an instant? I’m a Gen-Zer, and I don’t really know the true meaning of friendship. Why do some people treat you as a friend one day and ghost you the next?

12. Collecting Labels

Materials: 3D printing, acrylic, cardstock

Dimensions: 13” by 13”

Getting into an Ivy League, wearing Gucci, or having a big Instagram following are all some of the labels that society defines as successful. People reach for these prestigious labels because that is what they think they are supposed to want. The truth is that society’s definition of happiness may not be what makes them happy. They live to look successful to everyone except themselves.

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