Look at You, Look at Me: Let’s Breathe Together was the project that finally pushed me to share the development of my art with others.

A scanned view of *Look at You, Look at Me: Let’s Breathe Together* prior to the additions of the crown and florals.

At the time of its creation, I was enrolled in a performance studies course, deeply engaged with literature that explored the body, identity, and presence. As I moved through the curriculum, I found myself responding not only intellectually, but emotionally. I began curating visual pieces that reflected my lived experience alongside the academic material, art as interpretation, art as survival, art as truth.

What ultimately emerged as my final project became a mirror: a reflection of myself navigating the world, academia, and my own sense of belonging.

Holding Breath in Unwelcoming Spaces

As I developed this work, I thought about the many people, especially those with similar identities to mine, such as women and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, who have experienced imposter syndrome or the feeling of not being welcomed into certain spaces.

That feeling had caused me to hold my breath…
To hold my voice…
To hold my confidence.

In doing so, I struggled to see the beauty and brilliance I carried within myself. Let’s Breathe Together became both an acknowledgment of that struggle and an invitation to release it.

The Visual Narrative

The project is anchored by two complementary visual pieces:

“Look at You”

This piece displays the silhouette of a woman looking over her shoulder toward the right. She wears a green top and a tiara, symbols of beauty, success, and a revived sense of hope. She represents the version of ourselves we often admire from a distance, unsure if we’re allowed to claim that image as our own.

“Look at Me”

This piece features a silhouette of a woman facing forward, turned slightly to the left, looking into a mirror. She is witnessing herself in the act of becoming. There is recognition here, a quiet but powerful acknowledgment of emerging hope and a radiant new glow.

Together, the pieces exist in conversation. They ask us to look outward and inward at the same time.

The Original Construction

Look at You, Look at Me: Let’s Breathe Together
Description:
We breathe together every day without intention or interruption, unless something unsettled interferes with our self-care and self-love. This performance reflects the multiplicities and internal encounters we face when learning how to love ourselves. Through observation, I, like many others, experience internal battles where my view of myself contradicts what is true, existing in a constant state of mirrored consciousness.

Presenting the Work

Presenting this project in front of my class was both grounding and vulnerable. Prior to this, I had only showcased my artwork twice, once through the Henry Art Gallery and once through this program. Still, I felt an unexpected sense of comfort sharing this experience with my classmates and allowing them to navigate it alongside me.

The most difficult part of the process, however, was writing the monologue that accompanied the presentation.

I began drafting it as a poem, then experimented with letter-writing to myself, and eventually landed on a short monologue. Even then, it fell short of what I had envisioned. I had hoped to finalize it enough to include it as a voice-over within the project, but I wasn’t able to complete it in time.

Although my classmates were supportive of the work I presented, I still carried insecurities tied to self-doubt and unfinished expression.

Breathing Through Self-Doubt

Despite those feelings, this work continues to remind me to see myself differently. To assign my worth differently. To breathe through moments when the world suggests that I don’t belong, and instead envision myself with softness, intention, and beauty.

Look at You, Look at Me: Let’s Breathe Together is not just about art.
It’s about permission.
To breathe.
To be seen.
To become.