Parasite

Parasite explores the volatile and parasitical nature of heavy emotions such as depression, rage, grief, anxiety, lust, and shame. This work explores these intrinsic emotions, illustrating their unpredictable power and ability to shape our lives. This piece was created by dropping a piece of string into a page and tracing its path with graphite. The action was so simple, yet created the most erratic and unpredictable patterns, a visualisation of the chaos emotions can evoke within us. 

Often viewed as harmful, with more research I discovered that certain parasites can be beneficial. When parasites like tapeworms and roundworms take up residence within the body, they actually help strengthen the host's immune system. Parasites lead to heightened immune activity, making the body more capable of dealing with other invaders like pollen and bacteria. This idea parallels how, despite their destructive power, emotions can catalyse resilience and enlightenment. The contrast of dark and light — through both line and negative space — symbolise the interplay between suffering and growth. This tension between light and dark reflects how even our darkest emotions have a place and a purpose within our journey.