AP Art Sustained Investigation
In the 2022/23 school year, Valentina was enrolled in an AP 2-D Art class and created a portfolio that explores her sustained investigation of: How can I show how control has affected my upbringing?
My
Story
Get to Know Me
Through my work, I capture the feeling of being overwhelmed by the demands of family and school. I explore the emotional strain of my lived experiences using bold colors to emphasize the weight of the pressures and linework to convey confinement. Most pieces include a life-size painting of myself, acting as a mirror-like projection of me confronting emotions I have avoided. The collection is a journey showing the power of resilience. Each piece depicts a challenge I have overcome, each approaching the ending embrace. I hope viewers relate and find comfort in the idea that they are not alone.
Experimentation in materials, compositions, and techniques was instrumental to all the ways I was able to express the raw, deeply emotional concepts. My approach shifted from painting more literal symbols into one in which I used dynamic compositions and flushed-out metaphors. When painting skin tones, I merged the line between realistic and impressionist styles to play with light and movement on the complexion. I styled a crumbled sheet of paper and painted the shadows, creating a stark clash between styles, showing a disconnect (Piece 4). My work, a journey of self-discovery, unfolds with each piece.