This project continues my ongoing exploration of adornment and memory. While earlier works moved chronologically through past associations with clothing, this body of work reflects how I relate to dress and self-presentation in the present. I became interested in the playful, lighthearted role clothing occupies in my daily life, how garments and accessories allow space for experimentation, humor, and connection rather than purely representation.

That sense of play led me to think about the social life of clothing. In 2023, an accidental moment of matching camo outfits among friends evolved into what we now call “Camo Friday,” a weekly tradition of wearing camouflage prints. What began casually has grown into a shared ritual that extends across different parts of our lives, creating a subtle but meaningful form of connection. The tradition highlights both individuality and collectivity, each person wears camo differently, yet the repetition binds us together.

This tension between sameness and difference is central to the paintings. Each figure wears camo patterned pants, but no two patterns are exactly alike. The near-matching feels slightly humorous, while the uniquely colored shoes further assert individuality within the group. I chose to depict the figures from beneath a table, creating a consistent viewpoint that places them within the same space while deliberately withholding identifying features. There is no visible skin, no faces, only clothing.

By removing conventional markers of identity, I was interested in exploring portraiture through adornment alone. The figures become both specific and anonymous. Viewers are invited to project their own narratives onto the scene, filling in the absent details, even as the work remains rooted in a very personal and niche experience. For those who know the subjects, small details, such as how each figure typically sits, offer subtle recognition without overt identification.