Betrayal and the Inner Self: Foundations of Connection
Kristina Vantasi
In a culture where loneliness and performative interaction are normalized, this work argues that relational repair cannot rely on interpersonal communication alone, but must begin with one’s relationship with the self. It examines how internal conflict, self-betrayal, and emotional dissonance shape our capacity for intimacy, trust, and presence. Through collage, fragmented self-portraiture, reflective prompts, and participatory installation, I visualized and explored my own psychological states. Patterns of distortion, repetition, and fracture reveal identity as layered and unstable rather than fixed. Rather than resolving these ruptures, self-recognition is used as an ongoing process that enables a more honest and sustainable connection with others.
Betrayal as…
Guided by questions of how betrayal shapes the self, I externalize unseen psychological states through depersonalized, out-of-body reflection. This process maps internal experiences, revealing patterns of mistrust. Six portraits represent six fragmented selves: self-doubt, regret, contradiction/compliance, compromise, neglect, and self-invalidation which are interconnected responses that emerge through ongoing acts of self-betrayal.
Portraits in Motion
Thesis Book
