KNOWN UNKNOWS

The "KNOWN UNKNOWNS" series is a visual investigation anchored deeply in semiotic theory, as it contemplates the symbolism of celebrity imagery. As a sign within our cultural lexicon, a celebrity's face typically denotes more than the individual; it represents a complex web of meanings, narratives, and associations. Through the deliberate act of layering paint over these photographs, I engage in a semiotic process of encoding and decoding—each layer adds a new dimension of meaning while simultaneously concealing the original context. This transformative process challenges the viewer to read beyond the surface, to question the conventional semiotics of fame, and to seek a deeper understanding of the imagery presented. The celebrity's image, once clear and communicable in its symbolism, becomes an enigmatic tableau, inviting reinterpretation and a reassessment of the signs we thought we knew.