The Anxiety of Being, Irene Ho

Charcoal, 2023.

​In this subsequent piece exploring my evolving self, I delve into a contrasting emotional landscape, transitioning from a calmer state to one fraught with internal chaos. The play of light on only half of my face now reflects an undercurrent of anxiety, where the previously lighthearted expression on the left side is overshadowed by a palpable unease. The deliberate use of a black-and-white palette intensifies the internal struggle, blurring lines between versions of myself with stark contrast, creating a polarized representation that emphasizes the absence of a middle ground, mirroring the blurred and dynamic nature of my identity existing solely within the realms of black and white.