Growing up in the suburbs of London, my heart lived amongst the beautiful meadows, filled with daisies and buzzing bees. I dreamed of mermaids, fairies, maidens, elves and all sorts of exciting adventurers and warriors. However, where did I fit within these stories? Fairytale and fantasy modelling has been a way for me to reclaim a narrative, that previously, I thought might not be "meant for me". For me, to be the main character of my own story, was something I subconsciously felt was not possible due to the lack of representation in mainstream media. During my childhood in Britain, I found it hard to face my identity as a second-generation Chinese, and only through years and years of internal work and struggling with "fitting in", did I finally feel confident to take up space in my own way. One of the key drivers of such confidence was due to the chances life offered me to work with some amazing photographers in creating fantastical stories that visually brought viewers to different worlds. There are no limitations when it comes to the imagination, and through the arts, I could see the possible in anything. However, when the pandemic hit, it meant I had to find alternative ways to indulge in my passions and take solace in such creativity. As a result, I took up self-portraiture in 2020 and have not looked back since!

 

As a lawyer, I really value the opportunity to find solace in my love of art and creativity, and it is a way to free myself from the worries and stresses of everyday life, including the concerns about being a racialised minority and trying to find a sense of belonging. These self-portraiture pieces are an insight to my soul, my interplay with who I am and who I can be. I am ever so grateful to my teachers and mentors, Bella Kotak, Pratik Naik and Lillian Liu, for their online courses which helped nourish my journey of self-portraiture (what started as a lockdown hobby in the wake of COVID-19!).