Surreal Self Portraits

Combining Myself and Lyrics

Using a passage from literature, poetry or music as a conceptual starting point, students developed visual motifs that expressed aspects of their identity and emotion. Referencing the symbolic work of artists such as Frida Kahlo, Maria Fragoso Jara and Linus Borgo, students created a final acrylic painting that merged self-portraiture with metaphorical imagery. This unit fostered visual literacy, personal expression and critical thinking, as students navigated themes of the subconscious, symbolism and storytelling.