Held in Suspension – 60x85cm

Artist Statement: This painting explores themes of cultural hybridity, frustration, and the feeling of being suspended between identities. The water-filled handbag, holding a goldfish, acts as a metaphor for containment and fluidity—reflecting the delicate balance between belonging and displacement. Water, essential for life yet capable of trapping, becomes a poignant symbol of survival and limitation. The trapped fish, dependent on the water, mirrors the precarious nature of identity and the struggle to adapt to unfamiliar environments while preserving a sense of self. Water’s presence is further tied to the human experience—our bodies are 70% water, we are physically and metaphorically shaped by it, and it has carried us across continents twice in search of belonging. Like the goldfish, our journey through immigration has been one of being carried, exposed to distortion, and seeking equilibrium. The fish’s reliance on water echoes our own as we navigate the unknown: stepping out of its container would mean death, just as losing connection to identity and place can feel like an existential loss. The transparency of the water and glass creates layers of distortion and reflection, mirroring the complexities of navigating multiple cultural contexts. The subject’s gaze invites viewers to consider the quiet tension of being caught between worlds, where clarity is elusive, and identity is shaped by contrasting elements. The soft blues and subtle gradients evoke a sense of calm, yet the carefully rendered details suggest an undercurrent of introspection. “Held in Suspension” is both a deeply personal narrative and a universal reflection on the search for place and purpose. It examines the ways we are shaped by the water that sustains us and the journeys that transform us, often in ways we never intended.