Alvin Ukpeh

In my thesis project, titled Intersecting Realms: The Art of Collision, I explore the relationship between my masculinity, identity, and culture as someone who grew up in Nigeria and the United States. I approach this theme through mixed media, employing photography, matte and glossy paper, charcoal, pastel, and found imagery. In exploring what it means to photograph one’s own body, I question the relationship between the subject and the camera. I insert myself into the work as a means of investigation, delving deep into the connection between spectator, operator, and object. In the process of creating, re-creating, and analyzing the work, each plays a role in a performance on the stage of identity assertion. An examination of the intersectionality of cultural identity, my work offers a nuanced understanding of how societal expectations uniquely affect black men in the context of cultural frameworks. The high-contrast monochrome collage portraits suggest the binary identity imposed on men by society while serving as a canvas on which cultural symbols and references are interwoven. This deliberate fusion serves as a commentary on how cultural identity is both shaped by and shapes perceptions of masculinity, influencing the way individuals navigate societal expectations. By questioning and resisting societal norms by means of distortion and overlays, I not only challenge the limitations of masculinity but also prompt a reevaluation of cultural stereotypes and expectations. The intentional disruption of these norms is an act of reclaiming agency in defining my cultural identity in the face of external pressures. Through the act of collaging and ripping and by reflecting on the violence inherent in the language of photography, I move beyond the personal realm to critique broader cultural narratives. My process speaks to the historical and systemic violence that has been perpetuated against black bodies, inviting viewers to confront the intersection of race, masculinity, and culture.