Rowan University
It’s Me, Despite It All, 2025, graphite on paper, 16 x 12 inches
I’ve always enjoyed continuously altering my presented aesthetic, but grapple with how my physical appearance is perceived by others as a woman. When this graphite self-portrait was created, I felt distanced from how I’d previously characterized myself, and struggled to understand if that discomfort was from me or internalized expectations. As I look back on this piece with a familiar detachment, the truth I cyclically relearn is that it’s always been me— despite it all.
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Website | www.emilyklassenart.work