In the essay “Are You Staring at Me?”, Kate Little reflects on Oscar Wilde’s claim that “criticism is more creative than creation,” exploring how societal critique influences personal and artistic identity. Initially skeptical, Little comes to understand Wilde’s point, recognizing that criticism shapes art and can lead artists to cater to critics. This introspection leads Little to examine their own identity, realizing they often conform to external expectations while withholding aspects of themselves for personal agency. In their self-portrait titled “Are You Staring at Me?”, Little uses a mirror adorned with painted eyes to symbolize the duality of their identity—the accommodating, people-pleasing self and the secretive, autonomous self. The mirror medium underscores themes of reality, deception, and perception, with the eyes representing both openness and resistance to scrutiny. Drawing on influences from Byzantine art and modern artists, Little confronts societal expectations and asserts control over their identity, aspiring to prioritize self-definition over external validation.

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