Art is expressive, emotive, permeating with life from the internal world of the artist. Many artists are well versed in introspection, the constant assessment of the self. The questions of “Who are you, what is your experience?” is not a threat to an artist, but an invitation to create.

But what might happen if the internal was stripped away? What kind of art might be created if an artist were to shift into a less comfortable source of inspiration, a step into the world that happens outside their own heart and mind? An artist practicing extrospection may focus on observing and understanding the external world around them, rather than from the perspective of their own internal world. There are many ways one could interpret a call to extrospection, but some examples could include exploring and interpreting the experiences, emotions, and perspectives of others, as well as their surroundings and society as a whole.

Extrospection is the act of examining what is outside the self, and that is exactly what this project asks the artist to investigate. The artist is in search of artwork that explores the external world and the experiences of others, an artwork that provokes viewers to reflect on their place in the world and their relationship to life outside of their direct circles and spheres of experience, bringing them out of the world of the self and into a state of awareness of the interconnectedness of the universe. This project looks to exemplify the diversity of community, the observation of the world and its structures, the breadth of the human experience, and all things beyond the individuality of the self.