My graduation project ‘Where Have I Been Hiding?' is an exploration of experiencing loneliness amongst others and the longing for human connection; wanting to remain invisible, while simultaneously longing to be seen.

​

Only now do I realize how I’ve learned to shield myself, to hide, and to suppress my own feelings and thoughts in order to be accepted. What began as a defense mechanism, I now recognize as a set of learned behaviors that actually stand in the way of forming genuine connections. By observing and giving shape to this tension, I examine how I betrayed myself in order to be accepted, and the internal struggles that emerged from it.

​

Photography is a way for me to break free from that tension and to discover what lies behind the mask I’ve created for myself. By repeatedly pressing images of loved ones and strangers onto fabric until the ink fades, I give shape to the impact of fearing opinions of others. In this project I research this fear and take a step towards getting to know myself again: an attempt to repair the connections I thought I had lost.

​

​

2025