TANGLED
Tangled
In 2017, I suffered a major heart attack. Initially, I didn't fully comprehend the severity of what had happened. It was only after a few weeks, as I reflected on the experience, that the reality hit me—it had been a life-threatening event. This realization filled my mind with a wave of obsessive and confusing thoughts about life and death. I was forced to confront my own mortality, and I began to ponder the "what-ifs" and the fragility of existence.
Acknowledging the need to focus on the present, I returned to photography, exploring local woodlands. I became intrigued by the bare trees intertwined with gnarled vines. They had an anatomical visual quality that intrigued me, and I wanted to explore this connection. The twists and tangles of the vines and branches mirrored the chaos in my mind. They became forms to contemplate, puzzles to solve, and symbols to interpret—a way to process my thoughts on mortality. By slowing down to closely examine these trees and vines through the process of creating images, I began to untangle my thoughts. This process provided a space for me to explore my feelings and inner conflicts. These photographs document that journey.
