2023 Awardee-Noor Kirkukli
Noor Kirkukli
But where is the real me? (Frame 1), 2023
8 in x 8 in
Seine twine warp, wool, cotton, and polyester fibers for weft
Artist Statement
I explore my personal struggle with identity by incorporating pop culture and sociological theories into my tapestries. I do this within my piece by weaving frames from the series “Serial Experiments Lain,” which explores complex topics such as identity, reality, and communication in the age of the internet through avant-garde imagery. “Serial Experiments Lain” revolves around a girl named Lain who struggles with her identity as she gets lost on the internet. Her struggle with identity serves as an allegory for the dangers of assuming alternate identities online, an act we often engage in across platforms. This theme is significantly seen within the series as it touches on the sociological theory that the idea of a fixed self is an illusion. Our sense of self is constructed based on how others perceive and interact with us, and it can vary significantly. As suggested by Erving Goffman’s “The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life”, ‘self’ is a role we display through our social interactions, and with no one to engage with, our true self’s existence wavers. This notion is expressed through Lain’s poignant question, “but where is the real me?”. In my tapestry, I depicted the internet through a gif that will exist as long as it does. The gif, featuring a distorted image of Lain’s face, symbolizes the struggle with identity and false selves online. I further conveyed this through multiple threads in my weaving, representing the various forms of self that one can assume throughout one’s life online. Together, these elements emphasize the impact of the internet on identity and how it shapes our understanding of ourselves alongside my personal experience.
Noor Kirkukli
But where is the real me? (Frame 2), 2023
8 in x 8 in
Seine twine warp, wool, cotton, and polyester fibers for weft
Biography
As a second-generation immigrant who struggles with identity in regard to mental health issues as well as uncertainty about my ethnicity and culture, I frequently create art pieces that explore my identity and its challenges through the use of theories, history, and pop culture that I find resonates with me. This theme remains a constant within my work, as it allows me to comprehend and accept my struggle with identity better through the use of different mediums and forms of expression of art. Although I had always been an artist growing up and applying textiles to my pieces to some degree, it was not until my university days that I discovered my love for tapestry-making as I was fascinated by the ability to depict images through single threads. I was determined to learn this craft and incorporate it into my art practice.
