Who are we really? How do we fit into society? What parts of ourselves do we allow to be seen, and why? These are all questions that Brooke Shaden uses as inspiration for her digital show, “BEGIN AGAIN,” hosted by JoAnne Artman Gallery in Laguna Beach. In the virtual exhibition available online through May 30, 2020, Shaden explores the many layered notions of identity to fuel the work, but rather than conform to the expected notions, Shaden questions what it would be like to celebrate the difficulties, the struggles, and the beauty in transformation.
Even if one is for the idea of change, many cannot help but to feel reluctant toward difference and unconsciously promote similarities among one another through unintended comments or reactions. Shaden flips this idea on its head with her piece, Hidden #3: Praise. The image depicts many veiled figures sitting in a circular formation, all wearing white dresses and veils. However, a prominent figure in the center of the picture wears a red veil instead. The others encircle this figure that floats just above them in a state of awe, as if they are basking in the glory of their difference, celebrating it, rather than ostracize it. Some of them can be seen reaching for the figure, like a desire to be as they are, an ardent longing to be different.
The desire to be one’s own self can lead to a hard task, deciding who one truly is. There are many personifications that a person can embody, and many go through a lifetime of changes to their identity before they find what suits them best, and this idea is shown in Shaden’s other piece, Identity #2: Identification. In this piece, a veiled figure stands alone in a field, holding an oversized mask to their face. Around them, many discarded masks can be seen, littering the ground like the aftermath of a battlefield.
Many struggle with finding their identity, their perfect mask they share with the world. This process takes time and can come with growing pains. There is no “one size fits all” personality, neither a “right” or “wrong” and Shaden knows this. That is why she illustrates how many go through different phases in their life, trying to find the right mask that fits, the one that we want the world to see, the one that best represents who we feel we are.
Each piece in the virtual exhibition “BEGIN AGAIN” tells viewers a piece to a larger story of metamorphosis and individuality. The rebirth of the human spirit and a new start for societal values is shown throughout Shaden’s work. Through a theatrical and dramatic creative lens, Shaden’s work expresses the shared human struggle of finding one’s nature, unshackled and liberated as our authentic selves.
“BEGIN AGAIN” hosted by JoAnne Artman Gallery can be experienced online here through May 30, 2020.
