Artist Statement

The self is a construct. It is an amalgamation of all the things in the environment that have influenced it. A space is also a construct. If unused, it does not hold any meaning. Only when occupied does it change and come to life. As such, the relationship between space and the self is one of reciprocity. We bring to an environment all the meaning that we have derived from it. In a way, we are blended in the place and the place is blended with in us.

With the world becoming more complicated, our relationship with our surroundings has begun to contort. We are now juggling multiple identities that inform our interactions with a place. Technological transformations, migration, climate change, globalization, and capitalism have led us into to a world that is rapidly changing. Now more than ever, our relationship with the self has become increasingly complex and sensitive. Amber Arifeen’s work explores and problematizes this dynamic.

For Amber, layering and blending in portraits is a process of deconstruction and reconstruction. Inspired by imagery, objects, and patterns present in spaces, she uses these techniques to juxtapose, enhance, and retract elements that allude to a narrative about the female protagonist and her stories of a space. Rendered in bold strokes and gestural marks, the narrative seems to be shifting.

This kind of illustration stems from Amber’s desire to understand people – not as individuals but as a product of their environments and a dynamic force in flux. While it is introspective, it is also extrospective. In that, it challenges our notions about the self and our environments and begs the question of whether there can ever be complete harmony between the two.