Emily Acosta is a visual artist whose work blends acrylic painting and 3D molding clay to explore the structures and pressures that shape human experience. Drawing inspiration from her personal life and her observations of the world around her, Acosta creates pieces that challenge viewers to look beyond surface appearances and question the systems that influence individual identity. As a student transitioning into an emerging artist, she continues to refine her practice through experimentation with texture, form, and narrative. Her current series, A for Absence, reflects on the mass production of the school system and its impact on individuality, transforming familiar educational symbols into thoughtprovoking visual statements.

“A for Absence” from A for Absence

This four-panel series examines the mass production of identity within the modern education system. Each panel follows the same girl as she progresses through school until her final graduation, revealing the gradual erosion of her individuality. What begins as curiosity and self-expression is slowly replaced by the pressure to perform, as the system prioritizes grades and standardized achievement over genuine learning and personal growth.

Throughout the sequence, the girl’s form becomes increasingly detached and mechanical, reflecting how students are molded to fit expectations rather than encouraged to think freely. By the final panel, the graduate stands hollow—her body an empty shell, her head replaced by the letter “A.” This symbol of academic success becomes her entire identity, erasing any trace of humanity. Suspended from the tassel is a small, lynched figure, representing the self that was sacrificed in the pursuit of perfection and approval. This work serves as a critique of an education system that values production over passion and conformity over creativity. It invites viewers to question what is truly gained—and what is lost—when education becomes a factory for achievement rather than a space for discovery.

“A for Absence” from A for Absence, Mixed Media, panels each 24 x 12 inches, 2025