A stranger among strangers

Part of my project "ENVIRONMENT DECIDES?" for SOLAR PLEXUS exhibition.

It’s a research project of how the social environment influences personal development. “To run with the pack” has been a question of survival for a long time in the past. I want to explore how a person nowadays feels under different circumstances and in different environments.

From birth we find ourselves among a certain circle of people and feel the need to comply with their norms and rules. Does the feeling of belonging to this circle mean that we are truly evolving? Or in fact we are stagnating in a society that has not changed for years?

What would happen if we realize that people from our circle are not close to us anymore? Would we rush to separate and be independent on our own? Or would we strive to find a new pack that we could become a part of? Or maybe we would find the strength within ourselves to shape the circle the way we like it? Or would we become broken inside?

Man or woman, who has more acceptance to be unique? Who should provide this acceptance environment and society or a person itself? Who decides a person or society or maybe both? Are we inseparable or opposed to each other?

Those are the questions that are constantly going round my head. Stay, leave, change or be changed? There’s only a single answer that seems right - address the questions gradually as they arrive. 

Below are the names of 6 canvases that I have created trying to reflect my point of view in a harmonious state of each case:


1. Part of circle
2. On my own
3. Accepted
4. Among strangers
5. A stranger in the community
6. A stranger among strangers


Original artwork on canvas:
• 50x40 cm
• mixed media
• 2022