Loss
My mother passed away in Spring 2024 and I’ve been compelled to confront my inner darkness – to an increasing degree – ever since. This series of paintings functions as a form of self-portraiture and is in conversation with the emotional patterns I’ve experienced in the wake of her death. By creating a sense of emotional distance between the subject and the viewer, I aim to evoke the deep loneliness and isolation that accompanies life-altering loss. Sometimes, solitary figures are frozen in surreal, disorienting spaces; other times, grief strikes unexpectedly, at midday or in a crowd, without logic or warning. I’m grappling with a feeling of estrangement from my identity, and these paintings help me to understand the emotional and psychological distortions in my life.