Every time I take a look at this work by photographer Monika Chabicovsky, the road from the tune New York Cares by Interpol performs in my mind: “I had seven faces. Thought I knew which one to put on.”
The tune is melancholy and offers with the struggles of residing authentically in New York Metropolis, whereas in Chabicovsky’s collection entitled “The Two Sides of the Fact,” I take away an inspiring name to discover.
By day, Chabicovsky is a toxicologist working as a marketing consultant for the biotech business. On this work, she portrays her wrestle with the rational aspect of self (work, work, work) vs. the artistic/nice artwork photographer aspect that wishes to play. The wrestle is actual, even when a few of us have no idea we’re engaged with it.
If you happen to’re conversant in Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Carl Jung and his theories of “persona” and “individuation,” this collection and interview will appear very relatable.
Like Chabicovsky, Jung additionally struggled with play. In his memoir “Reminiscences, Desires, Reflections” he writes that he solely gave in to play after “infinite resistances” and with “a way of recognition”. He says: “For it was a painfully humiliating expertise to grasp that there was nothing to be achieved besides play infantile video games.”
What was the inspiration for this collection?
‘ThIs undertaking started in 2020 throughout a time after I was actually struggling to steadiness my artistic pursuits with my skilled life. The rational aspect of me stored insisting that I concentrate on my enterprise, leaving little room for making artwork. This inside battle turned the driving power behind my ongoing collection The Two Sides of The Fact, the place I search to discover and reconcile my opposing “elements.”’
How do your self-portraits problem typical/conventional notions of id?
‘My self-portraits disrupt conventional notions of id, acknowledging it as fluid, multifaceted, and sometimes contradictory. Reasonably than portraying a single, unified oneness, I discover the strain that outcomes from partaking with differing features of my id — purpose versus emotion, science versus creativity, persona, and the genuine self.
‘I query the soundness of id and the way a lot of it’s formed by societal expectations versus inside realities. This challenges the concept of id as one thing fastened or singular and as an alternative presents it as dynamic and layered.’
Have you ever found features of your self you hadn’t thought-about earlier than beginning this undertaking?
‘Creating these self-portraits is enjoyable, and I found how a lot I benefit from the means of planning and taking part in—choosing the proper costume, outfit, and idea for every shoot. For a very long time, I didn’t enable myself to embrace a way of play.’
How do you utilize visible metaphors to convey summary ideas like purpose, emotion, or duality?
‘I exploit easy visible components to characterize complicated ideas like purpose, emotion, and duality. Masks, for instance, function a central metaphor for the duality that lies between persona and authenticity, blurring the road between what’s hidden and what’s revealed.
‘I additionally play with purposeful contrasts — mild and shadow, inflexible shapes versus smooth textures — to replicate the strain between order, purpose, and emotion. Hopefully, my visible language invitations the viewer to consider how they see — and stay out — their very own interior conflicts and truths.’
Are there any recurring symbols in your photographs? If that’s the case, what do they characterize?
‘I exploit masks to characterize totally different sides of the self and to discover the connection between our totally different selves — the contrasts in addition to interconnectedness. The masks additionally blur the road between fiction and “reality,” inviting the viewers to have interaction with these common themes on a deeply private stage.’
Which got here first: the photographs or the captions?
‘The primary picture, created in 2020, is titled “Me Telling Me What to Do” and displays my each day wrestle. The picture presents the core of the continuing rigidity between rational, scientific pondering — fast, centered, and environment friendly — and the nice artwork photographer who delves into the world of feelings, taking time to discover and embrace a quieter, extra deliberate tempo.’
What do you hope viewers will take away when reflecting on their masks and “sophisticated truths”?
‘By this undertaking, I discover the a number of realities and midpoints that form my very own id, whereas encouraging the viewers to peel again their very own masks and confront their very own private truths, nonetheless sophisticated and uncomfortable they might be.’
Have you ever obtained any stunning or impactful reactions from viewers concerning the collection?
‘Some viewers have requested why I haven’t explored creating diptychs, triptychs, or perhaps a full narrative storyline as an alternative of specializing in single photographs. This suggestions is inspiring, and it’s one thing I’ll be experimenting with as this undertaking evolves. It additionally opens the door to exploring using triptychs, their that means, and the way they perform inside the historical past of artwork, so keep tuned!’
What questions do you hope your viewers will ask themselves after viewing your work?
‘I hope individuals take a second to think about their very own “two sides of the reality.” Who’re you, really? What lies beneath the masks you put on day-after-day? The Two Sides of the Fact invitations viewers to discover the layers of their very own personas, accepting what might be complicated, dynamic features of their very own.’
