In my sustained investigation, I questioned how to use physical objects in a contained space to depict the different stages of trauma. I saw significance in using color to implicate the victim’s state of mind and place in time. In my portfolio, I developed upon using objects in a contained space to manipulate 2D visuals and 3D objects in the physical space through installation. My pieces illustrate a progression in time moving forward that manipulates the perspective on the traumatic experience. I tried to use my portfolio to tell the personal stories of those around me.

In the first three pieces (images 1-7), I utilized smaller contained spaces to recreate the sensations of feeling small and hopeless in dark times as well as the idea of being stuck as if there was no light at the end of the tunnel. 

Images 1 and 2 is a piece called birthday wishes, the story of my friend’s experience with childhood abuse. I used a variety of colors: purple, nude, tan, gray, and black, to describe the degradation of emotions. The lighter colors and the cake itself represents a naive sense of hope. Gray signifies denial, while black alludes to feeling broken. The pastel colors imply that the piece represents the beginning stages of trauma and the inability to reconcile the truth. The paper stars come from a part of my youth. In Asian culture, we believe that if one folds a hundred stars, they are granted a wish, and in this piece it signifies her wish to escape from her family and abuser.

The second piece (image 3) is about a childhood terrorist attack. It addresses the issue of school shootings. The glass jar alludes to a time capsule, as if time stops right as the shooter pulls out their gun. I used the vibrant colors of the gum-balls to juxtapose the white found objects and the black water gun. This shows the contrast between a juvenile sense of happiness and imagination and the reality of crime in present-day society. The smashing of the piece in image 4 indicates the progression to the point of tension exploding, which is when the shooter fires their weapon. The action, smashing, represents the blunt force of the aggression while the glass jar breaking creates the illusion of the loss of childhood innocence and happiness.

Images 5-7 shows the perspective of trauma in the moment of cognition immediately after the impact. This piece was created in memory of one of my classmates that unfortunately passed away in a car accident. Similar to image 3, this piece also represents a suspension in time with the clock as the main focal point. The idea of time also symbolizes the erasing of memory due to the initial shock, as if his memory was put on pause before the ordeal. While images 1-4 focus on the inner thoughts and experiences of the victim, this piece abstractly alludes to their surroundings, which is the site of the car accident, with the shattered glass, glove, and tangled fairy lights, while the other objects: the makeup brush and earrings provide more symbolism to the anxiety and worry the subject feels. 

I wanted to further experiment with how I could recreate the surroundings and environment of the particular experience to bring the audience into the shoes of the victim so they could further understand how trauma affects a person emotionally, even with time. 

In image 8 I practiced using pop up art to reconstruct a space, the scene of kidnapping. I used the bright neon colors in the strips of magazines to indicate the complicated, erratic feelings when present in the trauma. It also symbolizes the constant flow of thoughts about the possible scenarios that could eventually unfold. This piece was a personal one to recreate as I referenced to the kidnapping of one of my family members. It was important for me to envision how the victim felt in the moment and convey in an easily accessible artistic format. Such pushed me to explore more accessible and representative forms of 3D art, hanging installation in images 9-15. 

In the last three pieces, I incorporated bold colors to convey multiple messages. Images 9-10 show the process of struggling to reconcile with the trauma and its aftermath. The imaginary subject of this piece has a hard time coming to terms with the death of their family members in a homicide. The vibrant red and yellow caution tape symbolizes a crime scene and the desire to hold on to the experience in order to make sense of it. 

In images 11-12 I used red lighting to convey a dramatic mood, the feeling of loss, and the flow of blood. In this piece, I wanted to highlight the idea of desiring what was once there, a baby.

Images 13-15 is the perspective of remembrance. It is an homage to my grandparents that passed away due to cancer. The pastel green in the piece provides a light wash of melancholy, spiritual symbolism, and alludes to the color of surgical scrubs. The light color palette represents a sense of acceptance to trauma as part of the past worth recalling.