Secret Realm

Secret Realm was shaped by the lived experience of witnessing the severe impact of depression in a close friend: suicidal thoughts, hospitalization, and the ripple effects on families, caregivers, and community. This revealed how pervasive and devastating mental illness can be—not only for the individual, but for all those around them. The work was not created to portray despair, but as an experiment in offering a way forward through art. Through light, color, and movement, familiar household objects are transformed into luminous compositions. These elements do more than please the eye: they invite emotional presence, restore calm where there is restlessness, and awaken vitality where there is numbness. This progression embodies the principle of reframing: discovering vitality and hope in places that might otherwise feel empty. They spark connection, and remind viewers that beauty is not distant—it can be found here, in overlooked corners of daily life. The goal is not escape from reality, but the cultivation of resilience, gratitude, and clarity within it. Ultimately, Secret Realm positions photography as a form of visual empathy. It demonstrates how art can uplift and restore, functioning as a meditative practice in itself—one that strengthens human connection and reawakens the possibility of joy in everyday life.