Sophie Ellum

Artist Statement

I am a third-year education student and autistic multimedia artist exploring themes of social performance and people-pleasing. My use of clown motifs reflects how identity is shaped by the demand to entertain and please, performing versions of the self to fit in. Through the repetitive process of stitching and mending, I transform invisible effort into a tangible form, reflecting the rhythm of my own survival: masking to fit in, unravelling under stress, and slowly piecing myself back together. My work reflects the cycles of repair and breakdown, illustrating both exhaustion and resilience.

The Show Must Go On: Fool, 2025

This interactive clown puppet is inspired by the feeling of being scapegoated or needing to people please to fit in. Manipulate the clown with the stick and watch how each movement pushes the fool closer to unraveling, revealing the hidden toll of constant performance.