Final answer:
Self-mutilation in art can be conveyed through fragmented body representations and the use of various materials, expressing internal struggles and anxieties. Makeup, piercings, and body painting serve as cultural expressions of identity and status. Artists' chaotic use of materials may reflect personal experiences or emotions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Forms of self-mutilation in artwork can be seen through representations of fragmented or altered body parts, often expressing deep internal experiences without words. For instance, in Portrait Fragment (6.6.20), the artist used partial body parts, depicting her face with linear waves, symbolizing a possibly fractured identity or inner turmoil. The medium of traditional oil on unconventional surfaces, like plastic sheets and Plexiglas, emphasizes this fragmentation and experimentation. Similarly, in Not Yet (6.8.18), the use of cotton netting and plastic drop cloths suggests a vulnerability and rawness, the repetitive yet irregular handmade shapes reflecting the artist's anxieties and struggles from a painful past.
Makeup and piercings serve as forms of visual art and self-expression, highlighting beauty or cultural ideals, or representing identity and status as seen in various cultures. Body painting, which can be temporary or semi-permanent, provides insights into an individual's social position or tribal identity, with the specific designs revealing intricate details about personal history and societal roles.
Moreover, artists like Brown in Self-Portrait in Fur Hat (6.4.20), have illustrated self-mutilation through the careless use of materials, with paint spattered clothing and surroundings, reflecting a possible disregard for self in pursuit of artistic expression. This chaos can serve as a metaphor for internal disarray or a form of release, reflecting personal experiences and emotions.