★Concept

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Visualizing "Teaching": The Transformation of Self-Portraits

This "Betweens" series challenges the essence of art education by placing a student's self-portrait from before instruction (left) alongside one from after instruction (right). As the <teacher>, I do not physically alter the works; instead, I guide solely through words, fostering the growth of the <student>.

At first glance, this may seem like a typical approach to painting instruction. However, from a different perspective, the ambivalent interaction between the <teacher's> [trained gaze] and the <student's> [unrefined brushwork] creates a peculiar tension—perhaps a new method of painting altogether.

... As a result, the typically unseen "act of teaching—the presence of the teacher" becomes visible. Simultaneously, it raises a question for the viewer: Which is more valuable, the raw and unique expression of the "before" on the left, or the refined and developed "after" on the right? This quiet juxtaposition of self-portraits provokes contemplation on the paradox of art education.