Watch how senior Sophie Chao (BFA ’25) transforms consumerist imagery into powerful self-portraits.
In her solo exhibition “An American Icon” at the Frame Gallery, senior Sophie Chao (BFA ’25) reimagines and deconstructs cultural icons to explore her evolving relationship with media consumption and personal identity. Using oil paint, collage, and hand stitching, Chao re-contextualizes consumerist imagery to critique sensationalized depictions of power and gender, often rooted in the glorification of male violence and the trivialization of Asian femininity. By transforming these images into self-portraits, she challenges their significance outside the realm of media and crafts a nuanced reflection on culture, identity, and Westernized ideals.
Open Reception: “An American Icon”
