Karolina Adamczak

Performance on camera, 00:12:00

This piece exposes the raw despair of longing for love and acceptance. In moments of profound loneliness, when we feel most abandoned, we often work the hardest to convince ourselves and others that we are not truly alone. I confront this shame by openly admitting my desires: yes, I am lonely, and yes, I need love. Over the course of a twelve-minute video performance, I kiss different areas of my body, pushing my physical limits, all while posing the question: Is self-love enough? The kisses represent the anguish for love as well as the despair for validation that feeds off narcissism. The physicality of the body and the visceral action of kissing oneself demonstrate the empowerment in vulnerability. By exposing oneself one becomes resilient.