The Transmogrification of Self is a large-scale oil painting triptych that critiques historical and contemporary constructions of femininity through technique, materiality, and symbolism. Blending traditional oil painting with Neo-Expressionist abstraction and unconventional materials, the work contrasts two representational panels with one abstract to explore the dual roles imposed on women: object and subject, muse and artist. Rooted in personal experience and shaped by the influence of strong women in my life, this project was driven by a growing awareness of how women are represented, and often misrepresented, across cultures and time. In response, I reframe traditional forms through a contemporary lens, challenging inherited narratives and reclaiming the female experience. This immersive work invites viewers to reflect on their own perceptions of femininity and to question the systems that continue to shape those views.

-Seraphin DeFrates