STAY
illustration, print making, moving image, 3D art
Stay is a personal exploration of presence, mindfulness, and belonging through my art practice. This project unfolds across four stages—I’m Afraid, I Escape, I See, I Stay—each representing a phase in navigating fear, escape, self-awareness, and acceptance after moving to a new country. The work evolves across different mediums, with each stage gaining clarity. It begins with traditional intaglio prints, then transitions into 2D animation, followed by digital artworks interacting with space, and finally culminating in 3D forms. Through this process, I aimed to explore and learn new mediums and understand' how a single story can be told across multiple mediums, each revealing a new perspective on finding connection and making peace with change.
INITIAL EXPLORATIONS: This project began with fragmented ideas from my journal, which became an anchor in a new world. Exploring subjects like this felt too vulnerable, and a way to set boundaries was to avoid drawing a character that felt too personal. The sunflower, an ongoing character in my illustrations, intuitively became the protagonist. I further developed its character by creating various iterations across 2D sketches and a range of paper sculptures.
STAGE 1: I'M AFRAID
PRINT TECHNIQUE: INTAGLIO
This stage explores the paralysis of fear—the feeling of being so overwhelmed that taking action seems impossible. I chose intaglio printing for this because the meticulous, hand-etched process carries an inherent tension that mirrors this state of anxiety. Learning this traditional printmaking technique was a grounding experience, allowing me to engage with something deeply tactile while navigating these emotions.
STAGE 2: I ESCAPE
TECHNIQUE: FRAME ANIMATION
This stage explores the need for escape when fear becomes overwhelming. Growing up, one of my biggest escape mechanisms was playing my Game Boy. With this artwork, I wanted to depict the character getting trapped inside a game—turning to an alternate reality as a way to avoid facing fear.
STAGE 3: I SEE
TECHNIQUE: DIGITAL DRAWING
This stage is about making peace with fear—seeing it for what it is and realizing it’s not something to be controlled by. I explored digital drawing here, and later, printed these artworks and placed them on corners to introduce perspective. That shift in dimension felt like a direct reflection of the character gaining a new way of seeing.
STAGE 3: I STAY
TECHNIQUE: 3D ART
This stage explores how reality shifts when seen from a non-fearful state of mind, reflecting back on Stage 1. The work examines how a change in perspective can reshape our perception of the world.
