The Shadow Within explores how monsters in horror films reflect the psychology of repressed emotions. Carl Jung coined the term “shadow self,” which describes parts of one’s personality that we have suppressed that are too painful to acknowledge and associated with qualities that people will find unappealing. Jung believed that one way to cope was through projection, which explains why people often project their unappealing qualities onto monsters. For example, Frankenstein’s monster was misunderstood as scary and become ostracized after not being accepted into society, which lead them to lash out. When it comes to negative emotions, it is hard to express these emotions in public since they might appear unlikable to others and be viewed as weak. From personal experience, communicating negative emotions, such as anger or sadness, was often a struggle and led to unhealthy suppression, which usually resulted in meltdowns or shutdowns. Monsters have comforted me since I’ve always felt empathy for their struggle to become more socially acceptable and gain acceptance from the outside world. 

 

This series consists of oil paintings on canvas. I use myself and the shadow as subjects in my work, and my shadow embodies the suppressed aspects of one's self. Each painting takes place inside a domestic space to provide the audience with a familiar setting while distorting it to make them feel unsafe in an environment associated with comfort and belonging, inspired by Gregory Crewdsen’s photography. The use of elongated shadows, exciting camera angles, and lighting that disconnect reality and fantasy is inspired by German expressionist films, such as The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Nosferatu. 

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The Shadow Within aims to bring a sense of unease to the viewer while feeling the same comfort that monsters in horror films have given me. Our shadow often comes in many forms, whether unappealing emotions, traits, or specific aspects of ourselves. The work provides others a glimpse into the harsh reality of repressing oneself while encouraging people to express their feelings healthily and embrace the flawed aspects of our inner selves.