Gallerina

"Gallerina" by Lauren Cohen, self published in 2024.
 
An artist building her career in New York City gets a job working as a Gallerina in a prestigious art gallery in Chelsea. Her crippling self-doubt and insecurities are revealed as she attempts to climb in one of the most competitive industries in the world. She battles with unresolved trauma by attempting to become everyone and everything around her, exposing various masks. A myriad of shortcomings become the brunt of a big self-induced joke, as she learns to process and cope with confusing human interactions and interpersonal faux pas. The inability to connect with other people leads to extreme loneliness. Building community, accepting help and respecting people's individualism, is the only way to move forward.