Sasha Gordon: How I Learned to Love My Body by Painting Myself By Sasha Gordon

https://www.vogue.com/article/how-i-learned-to-love-my-body-by-painting-myself

How people view you is out of your control, but my paintings are images I want to see and how I want to represent myself. The figures I paint are all based on myself, but they’re all variations of different parts of me and symbolize the comfort I found in being with other Asians and people who have similar identities.

The works are always for me first, although I share them with others—but having an image of your body on display is scary. Sometimes I’ll dissociate and not think about it, but then you’ll go into class one day and realize you painted yourself naked, and you’re in front of your class of mostly white peers and a white old male teacher, and they’re critiquing this painting that has you so vulnerable. And the same goes with sharing my paintings with my family. But the scarier part is the message I’m trying to convey. Fortunately, I’ve found that expressing myself is always more rewarding than worrying about putting my body out there. And that’s what keeps me from not freaking out about my boobs being in your face.

https://www.vogue.com/article/sasha-gordon-profile