What you call your lies are fiction and myths. The art of creating a disguise can be as beautiful as the creation of a painting… I created a woman for my artist life, bold, gay, courageous, generous, fearless; and another to please my father, a clear-sighted woman with a love of beauty, harmony, and self-discipline, critical and selective; and still another who lives in chaos, embraces the weak and the stumbling and the confused.
Anaïs Nin reflects on the nature of identity and art in her diary, suggesting that what some perceive as lies are actually creative expressions and narratives. She compares the act of crafting personas to painting, emphasizing the beauty in disguise and transformation. Nin describes the various women she has created in her life, each embodying different qualities and traits that serve distinct purposes.
She mentions a bold and fearless woman who represents her artistic self, another who aligns with her father's expectations, and a third who embraces chaos and compassion. Through these personas, Nin explores the complexities of her identity and the roles she plays in different facets of her life, illustrating the interplay between authenticity and performance.
