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Know Yourself
Know Yourself is a show that focuses on self-reflection, self-realization, and self-awareness. Through this art, I hope to learn more about who I am, my physical presence, but also the way I see myself at the core. Like most, I am many things. I strive to examine how my sometimes contradicting personas all interact with one another, and, ultimately, become the person I allow others to perceive. In a world where we constantly create narratives for one another, I aim to control the lens through which people view me, even if it is only for the few moments they witness this show. Even more, I want to be able to understand who I am once everything else is off the table. Who are you after the show is over, when you look in the mirror and the only voice in your head is your own? Who I am outside of the identity that others chose for me based on my appearance and gender? How can I shield myself from a gaze that penetrates life so deeply that it dictates choice? I am not sure that it is possible to truly know yourself, but evidently it's more about the studying the question than the knowing the answer.
Artist talk given by Abigail Liebhart describing her thesis, Know Yourself, while providing visuals.
But, Who?, 2021, Acrylic on canvas.
Eight versions of the self, all come together to create myself. Each Abi serves a purpose and knows something that the other doesn't. A constant internal battle keeps me in line.
This large scale painting is best viewed in person. For a closer look click here.
The Unpeeling of Abigail Liebhart, 2021, Acrylic on canvas.
Most mask, though not many admit it. Who holds your veil? Is it something you enjoy? To hide from the world at least brings the comfort of knowing who you're hiding. Who's the person you don't want them to see? Does the person even exist to you?
This medium scaled painting is best viewed in person. For a closer look and more in depth description click here.
Night Demon, 2021, Prismacolor on cardboard.
Time doesn't stop for you, no matter how much you wish it could. 1 AM, 2 AM, 3AM, 4AM, the later you stay up, the louder it gets. Is it just your mind playing tricks on you, or is something really there? Sleep is inviting, but it can also be terrifying.
For a closer look and more in depth description click here.
Man Eater, 2020, Prismacolor on cardboard.
What's it like to be a woman in a mans world? Somedays, I am not too sure because I feel as though I'm living in a world of my own. I do know, however, that there is nothing more sobering than realizing that the world does not see you in the way you see yourself. We are forced to cater to others in a way that is irrelevant to the tasks at hand. How can you truly know yourself when who you are is the person you have created to please the world?
For a closer look and more in depth description click here.
Nighthawk, 2020, Acrylic on canvas.
Sometimes you've been awake so long that the night becomes your friend. They're there to hold you when no one else is, to whisper in your ear and remind you that you're not alone.
For a closer look and more in depth description click here.
Fever Dream, 2019, Acrylic on Canvas.
The intensity, the heat, the disorientation—Is this really happening?
So close to the truth that it feels real but you know something is wrong. The details aren't adding up, but you know this place—you've been here before. You don't remember how, or why you're here, but longer you stay the more it makes sense, the more it feels like home.
For a closer look and more in depth description click here.
Sheet Soup, Ingredients Unknown, 2019, Acrylic on canvas.
The line between your truth and mine is as thin as a veil. The veil is the only barrier that separates dreams from reality. In the world behind my veil I feel safe.
For a closer look and more in depth description click here.
