“Selective Vulnerability“ is an installation/sculpture that explores the selectively vulnerable nature of contemporary society. In an era where self-expression is often curated, vulnerability is no longer a raw exposure of the self but a controlled performance—revealed only in ways that align with personal or social narratives. This work questions the authenticity of such vulnerability: When we expose our flaws, struggles, and emotions, are we truly opening ourselves up, or are we merely shaping how we are perceived?

The installation consists of two primary components, both anchored on a cement base. The first is an iron wire structure resembling a plant, with film photographs growing at its ends. These photos are printed on highly absorbent, fiber-rich paper and affixed with super glue. Due to the nature of the material, every application of glue leaves visible traces—permanent marks of imperfection that cannot be undone. Any mistake in the process remains exposed, impossible to conceal. However, the arrangement of the photos ensures that they can never be viewed fully or all at once—there will always be a backside turned away, a misaligned angle, an obstructed perspective. These hidden or distorted images symbolize the fragments of imperfection that exist but are never entirely accessible.

The second element is a semi-movable light attached to the opposite end of the cement base. Though the light has some degree of movement, it is ultimately restricted. As the light shifts, it illuminates different sections of the plant-like structure, making the glue marks, imperfections, and textures even more visible. This shifting exposure represents vulnerability—the act of revealing one’s flaws under scrutiny. Yet, the controlled nature of the light’s movement introduces the element of selectivity. I dictate which mistakes, which traces of process, and which remnants of struggle are exposed and which remain unseen.

This work raises a critical question: Is this act of exposure genuine vulnerability, or is it a curated display—a method of maintaining control while presenting the illusion of openness? In contemporary society, we often reveal our weaknesses in ways that appear honest yet remain carefully constructed, shielding us from true rawness. Is vulnerability still vulnerability when it is orchestrated? Or does it merely become another form of self-preservation, an act of selective authenticity that blurs the line between sincerity and performance?