El Autoretrato Como Expresión de Experiencias Resilientes

Abstract

This research begins with a central question that guides the entire creative and reflective process: How does self-portraiture bear witness to the perception of a person’s resilient experiences? This question not only invites an exploration of self-portraiture as an artistic form, but also as a narrative and symbolic device that enables the translation of complex inner experiences into meaningful images. The study is situated at the intersection of visual creation, identity, and resilience—understood as a complex process of transformation in the face of adversity. The general objective guiding this work is to understand the relationship between the perceptions of resilient experiences and the possibilities of artistic creation supported by self-portraiture. From this, three specific objectives are proposed: to analyze how self-portraiture bears witness to such perceptions; to identify the theoretical aspects of resilience within the historical context of portraiture in the visual arts; and to understand the discourses that emerge when creating self-portraits as a form of personal exploration. The methodology, centered on research-creation, allowed for the integration of theoretical analysis with artistic experience through various plastic and symbolic exercises—such as photography, image transfer, and drawing. These exercises produced self-portraits that reveal not only the physical aspect of the subject but also elements of the self that shape their resilient journey. As concluded throughout the development of this monograph, self-portraiture proves to be a powerful artistic medium for expressing and channeling experiences, as exemplified in the final series of 10 works, “I Found My Balance: Resilient Portraits.” While resilience is a personal, open, and dynamic process, artistic creation provides a symbolic space where it can be visualized and re-signified. Nonetheless, the outcomes of such processes are neither replicable nor absolute: each work is a unique testimony, conditioned by the creator’s context, subjectivity, and narrative. Even so, the study shows that, even when the starting point is pain or chaos, the artwork can reach a visual balance that speaks of reconstruction and strength.