My work examines the contradiction of love and loss, a reality at the heart of the human experience. Through human connection, we discover a beauty that cannot be seen with the naked eye, but felt deeply within our hearts. Regardless of how much we cherish relationships with family, friends, and partners, however, they are temporary. Epictetus, an ancient Greek philosopher, believed that we should love others, not as something that we will never lose, but “as an earthen pot is, or a glass cup, that, when it has been broken, you may remember what it was and may not be troubled.” When we learn to accept the temporary quality of even the most beautiful parts of life, we will not be crushed by grief when we lose them. Rather, we will be left with a sad-sweet feeling of irreversible gratitude for having had them at all.

The piece Love and Loss is intended to remind viewers that while losing the ones we love is a painful reality, it is one that we are not alone in enduring. The imagery of water conveys the emotion of grief we feel while experiencing loss, and the contrasting shades of warm and cool colours depict the joy and pain that both come with love. The juxtaposition created by the hands holding onto one another while the faces slowly sink, illustrates how we must be willing to let go of someone in order to love them.

My work examines the contradiction of light and darkness, both of which exist within human beings. The shadow side, a concept developed by 20th-century psychologist Carl Jung, describes our personality's negative and destructive aspects. While the shadow side is an innate part of every human, it is often hidden and repressed within us. Jung believed that when we remain ignorant to our shadow side, these destructive tendencies will begin to influence our thoughts and emotions, overriding even our most well-meant intentions. To avoid this "shadow possession," Jung insisted that we must recognize and accept our shadow qualities as necessary parts of our being, just as darkness is necessary for there to be light.

With the piece Light and Darkness, I intend to provide a sobering reminder of our capacities as humans, both beautiful and ugly. However, I also hope to show viewers that while it may be scary, it is okay and healthy, to be honest about our shadows. The contrast between the shiny, gold wire, and the dark, rusty wire, emphasizes the tension between the positive and negative tendencies within us. However, the continuous line that connects these two halves of the subject's face reminds us that the goal in life is not to become perfect, but to become whole. Finally, the plants growing around the left side of the face speak to the positive impact we can have and the life we can give, when we embrace both the light and darkness within ourselves.

My final piece explores the contradiction of human individuality and unity, specifically in terms of social class. In major Canadian cities, such as Toronto, the disparity between the rich and the poor continues to grow. As a result, the stigma surrounding the poor and the homeless poses an increasing threat as well. Those living in poverty due to circumstances outside of their control, are often dehumanized and labeled as “lazy” or “lacking in willpower”. These labels create division between classes, and blind us to our shared humanity.

With the piece Individuality and Unity, I hope to remind viewers that those living in conditions far different from ours, are just as human as we are. Beneath the differences in status that divide us, each of us has common desires, dreams, and struggles. By listening to the stories of the homeless and the impoverished, we are united by our common hope to belong to a family, our wish to live a purposeful life, our burden of regrets, and our desire to be loved.