Ryan horton “Ego & Insecurities”
August 23 - September 8, 2024
Opening Reception: Friday August 23, 2024 6-8PM
Artist Talk: Sunday August 25, 3-4PM
Closing Reception: Sunday September 8, 2024 3-5PM
Ego & Insecurities is Ryan Horton’s first solo exhibition that revolves around his intimate depiction of grappling with the delicate balance between ego and insecurities. In a society that often pressures us to project confidence while simultaneously highlighting our vulnerabilities, this show embraces the complexities of this internal battle and transforms it into visual narratives.
Artist Statement:
Ego & Insecurities focuses on the internal struggle of balancing one's ego and insecurities. Through the medium of digital collage, I explore the human psyche to understand how personal dilemmas of self-worth, self-appreciation, and self-image create an internal tension that impacts the perception of self. With the overlay and manipulation of images in my collages, I create surreal and jarring compositions that channel and challenge my identity and expressions as a Black man in America and the stereotypes that come with it.
By doing so, I aim to combat the pressures to conform and the tendency to compare myself to who I am supposed to be, in hopes to allow myself to embrace both my ego and insecurities that make me who I am.
Website - https://hortoniconicdesigns.com
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/iconic.dsgns/
Ryan Horton is an artist from Lilburn, GA based in Boston, MA driven by curiosity of expression. As a Black man living in America, Ryan has always been taught to conform to survive in environments that were never meant for him. Because of this, throughout Ryan’s professional career he strives to push the boundaries of acceptance and expectations.
With his Master's in Architecture from Northeastern University and a Bachelor's of Fine Arts from Savannah College of Art & Design, Ryan has been exposed to a number of creative methods and mediums that have pushed his passion to not only create but breathe purpose into his works. Utilizing his structured architectural foundation and the raw understanding of aesthetic purity, he has been able to explore multiple industries including architecture, experiential design, and graphic design. He now focuses on fine-tuning his expertise to accommodate his art career. Ryan’s work has been on display in a number of exhibitions such as the African American Museum of Dallas, Boston City Hall, MIT’s Koch Institute Public Gallery, and many more. He has also been featured in art publications including Artist Talk, New Visionary Magazine, and Create! Magazine.
As his art career continues to unfold, Ryan’s focus is on furthering his exploration of self through the freedom of artistic expression via mixed media.
