In my garden it is quiet
And the darkness of the night
Settles across the flowers
Like a thin purple blanket
They turn away from the moon
And tuck themselves in
And the air is very still
No one can find me here
No one can fixate on me,
Turn me into something that isn't real
No one can sink their teeth in,
Rip into my heart and leave me wide open
I will stay here as long as I'd like,
As long as I need
I created three artworks relating to mental states that situations of conflict let me to. Using black and white photography as a medium, I chose to represent states of mind as if they are locations that one could travel to.
The Garden is a state of escapism from the pain I have experienced at the hands of Idolator and Bloodsucker. Here, maladaptive daydreaming takes over, and I pretend I am in a paradise where nothing can hurt me. Like the Garden of Eden, it feels blissful inside, but that sense of peace is built upon willful ignorance and a refusal to acknowledge reality. I narrate “Garden” as someone who believes I can avoid the pain of future conflicts by hiding away.