Marcus Reames

This body of work revolves around a narrative that explores trauma, hopes, dreams, fears, and the intersection between those when their core self becomes its own realized fragment. That core self is a key component to a fighting game that has enraptured students across the country, to the point that it has nearly become the sole emphasis of their social lives. This series particularly explores nature versus nurture, what would happen when someone wants to erase that core self, and what would happen when the core fragment becomes the greater whole.

While these characters do not reflect my identity in a physical sense, this series mostly focuses on me exploring my own identity through the characters within it. Sure, they’re taken to dramatic extremes for the sake of a more interesting narrative, or at the very least one that I want to depict, but that doesn’t mean they’re not still exploring facets of my own self. While I wouldn’t go so far as to say this is true when otherwise describing my work, it isn’t wholly inaccurate to say these characters are more of a what if scenario. What if I were different, what if this were a greater part of me, what if… well, you get the idea. I’m sure a part of why I did that was to create a degree of separation between me and the work, just as not all the characters are me, but the story remains deeply personal to me.

I’ve chosen to exhibit these pieces because this is the one real opportunity I have to exist and not fight for it. I understand the necessity of it, but I nonetheless hate the very concept. Plus, how often do you have the chance to display trading cards in an art gallery? It’s a weird choice, but I think a notably interesting one. Ultimately, it was just the only choice I could settle on for my project. Something that won’t loudly demand attention, but if someone cares to pay me any, they can walk home with a rather unique piece of me.