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Date of Graduation
Spring 2012
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
Department
School of Art, Design and Art History
Abstract
The act of photographing myself has had a profound effect on my personal healing after surviving a suicide attempt in the winter of 2008. Coming to the end of my rope after years of trying ex-gay therapy and countless bullying in the workplace and from others left me with a fragmented self that was collapsing. It was through the reawakening and rebuilding of myself that I began to photograph myself as a means of therapy and closure. My work has consistently dealt with the elements of faith and sexuality and the problems that one goes through in attempting to reconcile them with one another. A huge cause of this problem is the Greco-Roman paradigm that views the body and soul as being dualistic and at odds with one another. In my work I show how my body is intrinsically tied to my spirituality and at the heart of my spirituality is my sexuality, the body’s personal expression of love and affection. Confronting the fears that have tormented me also echo with the journey for liberation as I make portraits that symbolize a self tormented by fear of the devil and paranormal entities which are things I argue are myths. Using the photograph as a mirror to myself and to the world opens up an avenue for me to speak as a survivor and give assistance to those who are suffering with the same issues.
Recommended Citation
Anderson, Jason J., "Self / center" (2012). Masters Theses, 2010-2019. 133.
https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/master201019/133
