Love for Self is Liberation

Intense experiences don’t matter if they do not change you. This piece is about how love can lead to transformative experiences—both positive and negative—that ultimately change the status quo in our imaginations. Growth can sometimes feel painful, but I believe it feels painful because our bodies and our subconscious are literally going through a shift. For me, changing habits meant confronting old narratives and stories, and even experiencing anxiety around how I could create a new story for myself.

The person in this piece shows arms and hands open, accepting of new possibilities and altered ways of showing up in the world. The person is being transformed by the intensity of love.

This piece was originally commissioned by Swarthmore College’s Intercultural Center for their annual student recognition awards.