In a world where the gaze is the sole judge of being, we are seen before we ever truly live. Identity is no longer an inner essence, but a reflection of expectations projected through the eyes of others. We have become mere objects on an endless stage of public judgment, where validation fuels existence.
In this context, I invite you to revisit Winnicott’s theory of the “False Self.”
The struggle to be is no longer about constructing the self, but about performing roles written for us by “The People”. In this compulsory theater, masks have become more honest than faces, and the desire for acceptance devours the will—shaped as an invisible prison.
And here lies the final question:
When everyone sees you, but no one sees your truth—do you still exist?!
This work is composed of elements photographed separately, then assembled to speak in unison.
Mona.A (Monova Studio)
