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Emma Galvin

Professor Hartman

ED204

18 September 2023

Identity Reflection

Identity is what makes me who I am, what makes us unique. Identity is defined by the

experiences in our lives – what we take from these experiences is used to shape our personalities,

mindsets, and perceptions of ourselves and others. Experiences, good or bad, force us to make

choices, challenge us to move forward, and allow us to explore the world as a unique human.

Because everyone is different, even two people going through the same event come through it

with a completely special experience, which shapes how they view a part of themselves and the

world. The choices we make, the steps forward we take, and the paths of exploration we follow

reveal what matters to us, what we inherently are drawn to, and what we believe in, which weave

together to form one’s identity. Even trauma, struggles, and setbacks push us to develop our

identity as we work to survive, heal, and help others. The track of my life may be similar in spots

to the person next to me, but my personhood shapes those events into different experiences that

affect me in specific, distinctive ways. This creates intersectionality, where multiple parts of

identity intersect with one another, allowing us to connect with others, create our own space in

the world, and become a part of various communities. Intersectionality is built on commonality,

but it still continues to build our identity, further shaping our experiences.

Art, through whatever form it takes (poetry, painting, music, graphic design, etc.), helps

us to decipher our experiences, deeply explore our emotions tied to those experiences, and make

sense of how they impact our identities. It is so incredibly helpful that art can be created by so
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many talents and gifts, which makes it accessible to anyone. For many, it is a therapeutic,

relaxing way to process complicated and challenging topics, ideas, or events that deeply impact

one’s heart. Art uses seemingly common things, like color, shapes, lines, and even random

materials to create something beautiful. Even if a piece is not in reference to any specific idea or

event, it still provides the viewer with a window into the artist’s identity through processing why

certain materials were chosen and how they were used. As the artist, a person can express

emotions, feelings, and concepts abstractly, truly focusing on how their identity can be

represented without restrictions.

Not only can art express our identity, but it also provides a pathway to expressing how an

individual sees the world at any point in time. People have been creating art for thousands of

years, and until the photograph and camera were created, it was the only way of recording

moments in time that people wanted to remember. Even today, we still reflect on those art pieces

to discover new things about history, the people that lived through it, and how it shaped the

world we currently experience. Every time a piece is created that represents something about the

world, it is created from the perspective of the artist. If one event was to be painted about by

several artists, the result would be several different views of that event, telling us something

unique about it in each piece. This happens constantly, allowing us to develop diverse

perspectives on the world’s happenings and become appreciative of how inclusivity allows many

voices to be heard, rather than one’s single story. Art is created through the eyes of the artist, and

the result reflects foundational thoughts and ideas about their identity, how that identity is

reflected in the world, and how it affects them personally.

At Newfields, particularly in the We The Culture exhibit, each piece showcased one

person’s perspective on a prominent cultural, political, or social issue, shaping a united yet
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diverse perspective on how the world affects people of color. As a White woman, I view the

world differently because of my privilege, but viewing this art, particularly Qualified Immunity

and Uncaged Souls, pushed me to step outside of my worldview into others, who have much

different experiences. I was able to see (through art, rather than textbooks) how key parts of

people’s identity are pushed against or rejected unfairly, in a country that promises equality. In

Qualified Immunity, the size of the air freshener (equivalent to an average human)

overwhelmingly impacted me as it emphasized the devastating effects of police brutality against

people of color – their identity leads to unimaginable injustices that are often silenced, but this

art spoke out against that. It caused me to reflect on the privilege I have, as well as the

responsibility to make sure other’s identities are not hidden, punished, or erased. Everyone’s

identity deserves to be celebrated, and this exhibit recognized that, while still showing that

America has a long way to go before this is true for everyone. In Uncaged Souls, the themes of

freedom and captivity were apparent with the ribcage acting as a prison for one of the birds. The

artist stated that the other bird was encouraging the trapped one to fly, which I took to represent

bravery in accepting and sharing one’s identity, even when one feels trapped. Often, I forget that

not everyone’s identity feels safe to express, and that one’s identity is always fragile and

growing. The exhibit reminded me that I have to be aware of the ways society limits certain

identities, and I must speak out to help protect and empower those people, rather than stay silent,

which contributes to the problem. I learned that identity is interconnected to equality and rights,

and if those are not protected, many must hide, which I believe should never be the case.

As a future educator, I have to recognize that some of my future students are going to

have identities of all different kinds, some of which are punished or face prejudice in society for

no reason. A lot of these struggles were represented in the art I viewed in the Looking Glass
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Alliance gallery, such as Kyng Rhodes’ response to Dr. Kool called Red Handed. This piece

reflected on how black men’s physical identity is often seen as a threat, simply because of how

they are dressed and the color of their skin. He acknowledges that as a black man himself, being

self-assured in his identity while still fearing for his safety in America is a problem that must be

addressed. This is just one of many identities that my future students may grapple with, and it is

my responsibility to provide a safe, accepting environment for them to fully express themselves.

A classroom must be prejudice-free to allow learning to happen, and the art I saw reminded me

of the negative consequences if that is not available for my learners. I will continue to be diligent

in my study of other cultures and identities, learn more about diversity and inclusion, and push

against my own internal biases in order to become a responsive educator that supports students

fully. Identity acceptance and trust within a classroom community is essential to successful

learning, which I believe falls on me to instigate, develop, and maintain in every experience I

have as an educator.

I did begin to wonder how the artists’ identities shifted and developed as they were

creating the art. Did their reflections on identity in relation to others make them feel more or less

like a united collective? How do they believe art museums and exhibits can shift in general to be

more inclusive of all identities?