Juno van Elk

Refraction

This work was inspired by the Pain Remains trilogy by Lorna Shore, which explores grief and vulnerability through a love story. However, I chose to approach this concept via the lens of mental health instead. Specifically, I wanted to delve into the experience of losing something I deeply cherished - my passion for creating and telling stories in a creative way.

In these past two years, I've felt myself slowly fading away from everything, even the things that once brought me so much joy. It's been a struggle to grapple with the loss of my former self and to try to bring her back to life without losing more of myself in the process. The mirror serves as a recurring symbol throughout this work, representing the unknown and the ability to explore different facets of oneself along the same timeline.

Throughout this exploration, I hope to shed light on the mental fog that sets in when one is trapped in a routine and no longer finds joy in the things one once loved. I want to share the struggle of losing something intangible, something that cannot be touched specifically oneself and one's passion. Ultimately, I aim to portray the untouchable grief that comes with this loss and what it's like to cope while laying the old version of oneself to rest.