Man Made vs Nature

Materials: Flower-themed dress, Flower hair clips, Flower-designed nails, Acrylic paint, Real flowers, Eyelash glue, Vanity mirror, Lighting setup, and Camera (for recording).

My performance piece Manmade vs Nature explores the relationship between human-made beauty and the natural world. I was interested in how nature often inspires the things we create, especially in fashion, makeup, and self-expression. Flowers are something we see everywhere in design, but I wanted to bring them back to their original form by using real flowers instead of just printed or painted ones. This performance is about blending those two worlds together what we create versus what already exists naturally. By placing flowers directly on my face and body, I wanted to show how humans constantly borrow from nature to define beauty, while also sometimes overpowering it.

The performance is makeup-based and focused on transformation. I started with my every day, natural makeup looks to represent the manmade side routine, control, and familiarity. Then I slowly built the look using acrylic paint to create flower designs on my eyelids and glued real flowers onto my face using eyelash glue. It was messy, unpredictable, and very hands-on, which felt important to the piece. The flowers did not always stay exactly where I wanted them, and that lack of control reminded me that nature does not behave perfectly or follow strict rules. That contrast between control and chaos became a quiet but meaningful part of the performance.

I filmed the performance in my bedroom at my vanity, which felt like the most honest setting for this work. The vanity is where I usually get ready and perform beauty for myself, so it made sense to use that space. The video is around three minutes long and focuses more on process than movement. Since the performance is about makeup and transformation, I stayed mostly still and let the changes happen on my face. When the class watched it, the room went completely quiet, and then everyone clapped at the end. That moment made me realize that even subtle performances can be powerful when the idea is clear.

The most meaningful moment for me was when I started sticking the real flowers onto my face. That was when everything came together visually and emotionally. I was nervous it might look strange or overdone, but instead it felt bold and beautiful. Even though I love makeup, I had never done something this extreme before. I was especially shy about wearing the full look outside, but I pushed myself and actually went to Chipotle with the makeup on. That experience became an extension of the performance itself bringing the work into public space and letting people react naturally. Their positive responses made me feel more confident and prouder of what I created.

The process was not easy, and including detail and process shots on my website is important because they show the problem-solving behind the work. The first time I filmed, the eyeshadow barely showed on camera, so I had to redo the entire performance. Instead of giving up, I switched to acrylic paint, which ended up working perfectly. I recorded everything myself using good lighting from my vanity, and although I tried to get a second camera angle with help, it didn’t work out. If I could improve this piece, I would add more camera angles and maybe include a short behind-the-scenes clip. Still, I’m proud of how creative and brave I was. The dress, nails, flowers, and makeup all came together to clearly express my idea of humans and nature blending into one. This performance pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me trust my instincts as an artist.