Split (thread, acrylic, raw canvas; 60 x 91 in) is one of Brandi Kole’s most expansive examinations of identity as a layered and divided surface. Two faces emerge side by side, each constructed from stitched fragments, painted washes, and textile layers that carry their own histories.

The flowing connective element between them suggests a shared origin or memory, while the distinct features and tonal shifts reveal divergence, two versions of a self, two narratives held within one surface.

The stitched lines wander and overlap across both portraits, pulling the image gently apart and emphasizing the tension between unity and separation. In this work, Kole deepens her exploration of facades, showing how identity can split, mirror, or multiply while remaining bound by the materials that shape it.