Familial Taxonomy
How do we identify family? Family can be described through love, marriage and resemblance. This piece examines my blood relatives, exploring facial similarities resulting from genetics. I have taken the face, the most recognizable part of the body, and analyzed it next to the faces of 29 other relatives. Doing this allows the opportunity to compare our facial topographies. After identifying similar features, masks were made to hide them. Concealing these similarities questions how we recognize family if we no longer look alike. This piece takes a look at our genetic makeup on a very basic level, identifying features on a single part of our body, a single expression of the face, from a single perspective. Through the process of making this piece I have been able to reconnect with all of these family members, allowing me to analyze other similarities we may share like mannerisms, speech, and other physical resemblances. Interacting with family influences how I see myself within my family. What do I specifically have in common with them? How do I interact with them? Do I follow in anyone’s footsteps? Relating myself to my family and seeing where I stand is a result of this piece that was not intended however as my progress developed it became the personal focus to my piece.
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