‘Emergence’ by Jax Davern

‘Emergence’ depicts my deeply personal and transformational experience of personhood through metaphorical visual language. I emerge from a background of haze, portraying the emotionally challenging story of my transition. The blur of the background symbolizes being lost and in a state of confusion surrounding my gender identity. Proudly, my portrait projects beyond this, symbolizing my self-exploration and renewed confidence, evident in the detail on my face. My assured and comfortable expression looks out of the portrait, warmly engaging the viewer. At the same time, the intentionally soft aesthetic throughout the work communicates an ever-present sense of vulnerability. Colour within the self-portrait is highly symbolic. The whited-out chest area challenges the concept of gender and breaks down the social constructs of binary identification. In addition, the pink, white, and blue of the background reference the transgender pride flag and convey my pride in being a transgender man. My journey in finding myself has been made possible by the support of my friends and family in Brisbane. I’m grateful to be living in an open-minded and accepting community.