Cellophane

2024. Oil on Canvas, 18" x 24"

“Cellophane,” like a second skin pressuring inwards from all sides, captures the feeling of being bound by something almost invisible, yet impossibly tight. Barely seen, yet deeply felt, the suffocating quality of the plastic wrap clings onto the body and soul, embodying the silent, internal suffocation of societal and gender-based expectations. The weight of familial, gender, and cultural expectations mummifies me, layer by layer, as though there is no way to break free of these invisible chains. However, plastic by nature is flimsy. Like a butterfly breaking out of its cocoon, “Cellophane” portrays my struggle to discover my true identity, tearing away the plastic layer attempting to mold me into society’s preference.