The Layered Self
Layering as a Metaphor for Identity
For me, collage is more than a visual technique. It is as a way of understanding identity. Layering is not just a formal device but a conceptual strategy that mirrors the accumulation of experiences, memories, and subconscious forces that shape who we are. Each layer I add to my work contributes to a shifting, mutable sense of self, simultaneously revealing and obscuring meaning. This interplay between personal history, perception, and transformation is at the core of my artistic process.
The Hybrid Nature of the Self
Nostalgic Displacement
Working exclusively by hand when i don't do illustration, I craft intricate assemblages that blur the boundaries between past and present. My compositions evoke a cinematic nostalgia, often appearing as if figures are suspended between multiple realities. By layering historical references, I create a sense of temporal instability, where identity is shaped by echoes of the past but never fully defined by it. This interplay between time and memory underscores my belief that the self is a fluid construct, perpetually in flux.
Tactility and the Physicality of Layers
My cut-and-paste methodology emphasizes the physical process of layering. I expose the seams of construction, making visible the very act of deconstruction and reassembly. By maintaining the raw edges and contours of my cutouts, I try to highlight the fragility of self-perception, as the self is always in a state of becoming, shaped by external influences and internal shifts. The physicality probably reinforces the idea that identity is something assembled, disassembled, and reconstructed over time.
Obscurity and Revelation
Concealing and Revealing the Self
I try to explore the tension between what is visible and what remains hidden. Figures are masked, distorted, or partially erased, reinforcing the idea that identity is never entirely accessible—either to oneself or to others. In my layering process, meaning emerges through omission as much as through inclusion. By deliberately obscuring parts of the image, I suggest that identity is formed not only through what is revealed but also through what remains unseen, forgotten, or suppressed.
Temporal Displacement: The Past in the Present
Timeless Ambiguity
I frequently source imagery from vintage photographs and historical archives, yet my layering process introduces a timeless quality that resists linear interpretation. My figures seem suspended in a space between different moments, evoking a sense of déjà vu. The past is reconstructed but never in a fixed form—much like memory itself, which is constantly rewritten through recollection and reinterpretation.
A Philosophical Inquiry
Into the Self
At the end, I believe that collage is a profound exploration of identity. My work treats the self as a palimpsest -a layered surface that holds traces of past identities, experiences, and distortions. By deconstructing and recomposing images, I reveal the fragility and fluidity of self-perception. In my hands, layering becomes more than a structural element; it is a philosophical tool that questions the stability of identity, demonstrating that the self is never a singular entity but an ever-evolving construction shaped by time, memory, and perception.
M.B.
