APRIL BERMUDEZ
Self Portraits

Double Vision Nobility

Double Vision Nobility
digital photograph
I have had double vision issues for twenty three years now, one of the resulting disabilities from a physical assault and traumatic brain injury. It has at moments been humorous but also painfully lonely and isolating and even dangerous. But if anything it has increased my ability to compensate and adapt in unquantifiable ways. My disability has changed my perception. It has made it so that I can see in a multitude of ways.
Will This Keep Me Safe

Will This Keep Me Safe
digital photograph
Being somewhat of a klutz, and now having disabilities with balance, I've been told that it might be safer for me to be covered in bubble wrap. That has always been a comical thought until I was actually wrapped and started to sweat and found it hard to breathe.
Sometimes the safety you seek can be suffocating.
Kintsugi

Kintsugi
digital photograph
This is my latest self portrait, Kintsugi. Although it’s a new artwork, it’s a portrait utilizing a technique that can be traced back to the 15th century. The Japanese art of repairing broken pottery by mending the broken pieces with gold or silver lacquer and understanding that the piece is more beautiful for having been broken. Resilience is not merely about bouncing back from adversity but also about embracing the process of repair and renewal.
In using the philosophy of Kintsugi, individuals can find strength, self-acceptance, and growth in the face of adversity, emerging as resilient beings and embracing flaws and imperfections. We can create an even stronger, more beautiful piece of art.