Artist Statement:
Self Portrait I, II, and III began as an observational study that transformed into a painting experiment and a deep dive into my own identity. As I tediously studied my own features, I was confronted with my strong resemblance to my parents, seeing myself as a frankenstein-like combination of them rather than as an individual. The next two iterations of my portrait sought to abstract my physical appearance, using different painting styles to explore my identity beyond what exists on the surface. Through refracting my own face through these styles, I create an image of myself as a combination of my artistic influences.
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Maria Teplova is a Northern California-based artist currently studying at California Institute of the Arts. Primarily working with oil paint, her work focuses on themes of modern technology and infrastructure.