YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TO LOVE ME
July 2023
To define is to limit. There is no correct way to love someone or something. The things we are exposed to throughout our life affect this view, both positively and negatively, therefore one’s perception of love varies. Love is not static, it grows and evolves with us overtime. It comes and goes. Love; both platonic and romantic can alter our emotions so much that as quick as it brings happiness, it brings pain.
The chemistry of love:
Noradrenaline: stimulates adrenaline production causing the feeling of a racing heart and sweaty palms
Dopamine: the well known feel-good chemical
Phenylethylamine: gives us that feeling of butterflies in our stomach
Scientifically speaking, one typically produces these three chemicals when they are in love. Dopamine specifically is very good for us. Simply put; what’s better than the feeling of happiness? One could argue there is something quite exhilarating about the excitement of liking someone, getting to a point where they don’t even care that they have butterflies in their stomach or their heart is beating out of their chest. Comfort, with comfort comes a serene and calm feeling. Like the eye of the hurricane where these chemicals being released in your brain settle down and take a break.
The red string of fate (referenced in the third to last image in the series): An East Asian belief originating from Chinese mythology which states that one is connected to their soulmate by an invisible red thread. The two who share the string are destined lovers, regardless of the time, place, or circumstances. Just how not all relationships are perfect 100% of the time, this thread can tangle or stretch, but it is believed to never break.
What is the meaning of love? What is the meaning of a healthy relationship? What one sees as a healthy or unhealthy relationship can vary drastically from another’s. When looking at my body of work, I don’t want the emotions to be 100% apparent. The viewer is meant to look at the images cohesively (or not) and write their own narrative on what the meaning is. One may look at them in one order and take away an entirely different message than if they look at it in the opposite order.