03 / Artist's statement
Behind the visible.
Domestic violence does not always leave visible evidence in the places where others expect to find it.
Sometimes, its history exists in the ordinary objects surrounding us.
The Things We Leave Behind is a photographic exploration of the spaces between domestic life and survival. Through seemingly unremarkable subjects, the collection examines departure, fear, faith, isolation, loss, and the search for protection.
These images do not attempt to tell every part of a story. Instead, they bear witness to moments, objects, and environments that acquire new meaning when a familiar life becomes unsafe.
This collection is rooted in lived experience and created in connection with advocacy for survivors of domestic violence.
When someone finally finds the courage to leave, what must they carry with them—and what are they forced to leave behind?