Constructed Identity: Large Format Narrative Sculpture

A forensic interrogation of the soul through the fingerprints of literature's greatest existential heroes, "Constructed Identity" is a mixed-media sculpture that blurs the boundaries between documentary reality and literary fiction. Featuring the plaster casts and fingerprints of four iconic protagonists who navigate the thin line between guilt, suspicion, and the absurdity of the self, the piece can be construed as a symbolic criminal record of the existential condition. First exhibited in 2016 at the Signs of Id exhibition aboard the historic lightvessel LV21 on the River Thames, this sculpture represents a significant moment in our exhibition history—a work designed for the thinker, the bibliophile, and the collector of high-concept contemporary art.

The narrative of this sculpture assembles a conceptual line-up of four great existential heroes of literature: Raskolnikov from Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment, Joseph K from Franz Kafka's The Trial, Meursault from Albert Camus's The Outsider, and Mattias Pascal from Luigi Pirandello's The Late Mattias Pascal. By treating these fictional characters with exacting forensic detail, we wanted to question the broader concept of identity and the modern struggle to escape the self. The fingerprint, which is our essence and individuality highlighted by nature, is transformed by society into a bureaucratic logo—a brand used masterfully to reorder our being, which we paradoxically help create by filling out and adapting to printed forms. The possibility of escaping these iron rules does not exist, as an authentic life is rarely permitted outside the social framework; without a legal identity, a human being almost becomes a ghost, unable to defend themselves or protect their own existence.

To explore these ideas physically, we distributed the composition across multiple sequential panes of glass, creating a staggered optical depth that forces the viewer to look through the literal layers of personality and history. Designed to be an immersive visual experience, the piece uses an integrated LED lightbox system to bridge the gap between the viewer and the subject. The internal lighting works with the natural reflections of the multiple glass layers, causing the fingerprints and textures to shift and haunt the frame as you move around it. As you gaze into the lightbox, your own reflection merges with the fingerprints of Raskolnikov and Joseph K, physically drawing you into the existential discourse.

The craftsmanship behind the sculpture highlights a meticulous, multi-media manual process. It represents a careful combination of plaster casts, precise printmaking, and light, all housed within a custom-built wood and glass frame supported by a sturdy metal base. By utilizing genuine glass instead of acrylic for this specific study, we were able to achieve a unique clarity and a cold, reflective quality that emphasizes the analytical nature of an investigation. Every element was entirely designed and assembled by us in our studio. To mark its significance and trace its exhibition provenance, a hand-signed artist certificate of authenticity is included, accompanying this exclusive original artwork into your collection.