J.A.M

Joy After Mourning

As a teenager, I faced one of my greatest heartbreaks.

Joy After Mourning is a visual exploration of the trials and tribulations of young adulthood, centered on the complexities of my relationships with my hardworking single mother and my absent father. It delves into the emotional landscape shaped by their influence—documenting the depression, love, and resentment I’ve wrestled with as a result.

Through this body of work, I navigate the process of breaking old boundaries and learning to build new ones. It's a mourning—mourning for my mother to see me as I am, mourning for my father to recognize my growth, and mourning for the joy I once hoped to find in our future.

J.A.M. captures this journey of loss and healing, visualizing my search for joy amid the grief of familial expectations and unspoken desires. It is a documentation not just of the mourning but also the transformation that follows, as I find my own path beyond the shadows of my past.