When it came time to comprehend the driving themes of my final IB art exhibition, my mind immediately went to escapism. I can contribute this to my current state at the time of being in a stage four lockdown. I ultimately embodied this theme in my exhibition through the concept of ‘alter egos’, inspired by famous alter egos such as Ziggy Stardust and Batman.

I worked to embody feelings of joy, recognition, and companionship through alter egos. Creating personas to embody these emotions which I had felt I had lost most in lockdown. To represent these feelings, I chose an ostentatious artist craving recognition, a sad clown imparting joy upon others to try to experience happiness vicariously, and a lonely cat-sitter seeking companionship through felines.

All the works try to place alter egos in their fictional world and further provide evidence of their personalities. The three characters are captured through posed studio scenarios with lighting, props, and costumes, all pivotal to conveying the essence of the personas.

The triptych of the clown highlights the character's routine into his faux state of happiness.