Contained

This series combines images of my hometown with archival family photographs, layering them in a deliberate interplay of past and present. The archival photos are framed in the shape of a hyphen, a punctuation mark often associated with connection but here reimagined as a boundary. By containing these familial images within the hyphen, I create a metaphor for the limitations imposed by societal expectations—a refusal to grant full access to either image, symbolizing the resistance to being confined to one specific culture or identity.

The hyphen becomes a powerful symbol of both separation and connection. It holds the tension of being between cultures, not fully belonging to any one, yet bridging multiple worlds. The hometown landscapes evoke the physical and emotional terrain of my upbringing, while the archival imagery reflects the generational and cultural legacies that shape my identity.

Through this work, I aim to challenge viewers to reconsider the ways in which identity is defined and to reflect on the intersections of culture, history, and personal experience. By obscuring and layering the images, I invite a deeper exploration of the unseen and the in-between, creating a space for dialogue about belonging, alienation, and the multiplicity of the self.

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