My work explores societal trauma through a horror aesthetic, aiming to evoke anxiety and discomfort as a reflection of collective experiences. Originally intending to focus on a singular political issue, I found the vastness of global suffering too overwhelming to isolate. Instead, fear itself became the central theme – an emotional response that unites us in the face of constant turmoil.

Drawing inspiration from artists like Tai Shani with their “My Bodily Remains”, Zdzisław Beksiński, and Alison Katz, I use symbolism and spatial composition, with unsettling imagery to construct ambiguous yet emotionally charged narratives. Shani’s immersive installations informed my approach to using colour and multiple perspectives, while Beksiński’s desaturated tones and surrealist figures influenced the mood and visual language of my oil paintings. The tragic circumstances of his death also reinforced themes of betrayal and human brutality within everyday life. 

In my series ‘You Are What You Eat’, I juxtapose familiar objects like plates and food with grotesque elements such as severed fingers, using still-life traditions with horror imagery. This contrast highlights how violence and survival coexist as constants within reality. This being influenced by Kaz’s work that takes a broad approach by using everyday symbolism to have diverse contextualisation based on the imagery and placements of the work. I also considered spatial psychology in the presentation of my work – placing unnerving, ambiguous figures higher up to intensify the viewer’s sense of intimidation and therefore unease. By combining horror with the familiarity of daily life, I aim to create a universal anxiety-inducing experience that reflects the inescapable presence of fear in modern society.