After a major break up, I deeply believed that if I didn’t transform myself into a more likable woman, there would be no more happiness in my life. So I started to dispose of everything that defined the old “me”-things I did, said, and even believed, and in particular the way I interacted with men. I chose to “de-self” myself in order to please potential romantic partners.
After a few years, though, I found that the more I de-selfed myself, the more I hated myself. I realized that suppressing the person that my life experience has created would not help with my romantic relationships, and was actually making me unhappy. I needed to find a way to accept myself for who I really am and to declare that acceptance to the world. Photography seemed a perfect way to do this, by allowing me to expose my fears and my own fragility in front of the camera.
To illustrate feelings that are often difficult to explain, I combined a variety of physical props and materials with myself, usually posing with different male counterparts. For most of the images featured in De-Selfing, I chose to keep my own face hidden. I want viewers who have experienced similar loss, pain, and sadness to be able to project themselves into the frame. I also incorporated a lot of negative space in the images to evoke the feeling of isolation and sadness I was experiencing.
Creating the images in De-Selfing has been a therapeutic process for me. Since starting the project, I have picked myself up piece by piece, gotten my confidence back, and been able to hear my own voice again.
You can find Hsin Wang on the web:
About Hsin Wang
Six years ago I moved to New York City from Taiwan in search of a more creative and open-minded environment. I have worked for different companies and brands on varied creative projects, such as editorial photoshoots, product photography, retail store displays, website design, print collaterals design and so much more.
I thrive in fast-paced environments and love collaboration. And I understand that a successful final product requires perfectionist design and tight adherence to deadlines and budget, of course, but the abilities to remain flexible and resourceful are just as essential!
It has been a great journey to me since I moved to New York. I look forward to working on new projects with more creative people!
Via: Boredpanda
Photo Credits: Photographs by Hsin Wang and used with permission.
