My circus my monkeys
My Circus, My Monkeys is a collection of three white earthenware slip-cast monkey figures, each wearing versions of my own clothing and accompanied by glass instruments. The work explores my experience of being autistic and the pressure to perform socially in order to fit within expected roles and environments. The monkeys become personal stand-ins, blurring self-portrait and character.
The glass instruments reinforce ideas of performance and expectation, suggesting roles that are played, rehearsed, and carried through everyday life. Through repeated forms and recognisable clothing, My Circus, My Monkeys reflects the emotional labour of masking and the tension between authenticity, adaptation, and belonging.