Introspection & Isolation

As lives are transformed by the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis, many have turned inwards through reflection and introspection. In self-portraits, journal entries, and other mediums, themes of fear, nostalgia, and hope overlap and intersect. For some, solitude has served as a painful reminder of loneliness and pain, while for others it has fostered compassion and gratitude--or, all told, a sincere and ambivalent admixture. These deeply personal, vulnerable responses are as diverse as the varied experiences of the community. 

“I find hope in all the mutual aid I've seen happening. I find hope in the way my housemates are taking care of each other. I find hope in myself, as I'm still out there trying to help others, proving to myself that when shit hits the fan we don't stop caring about one another.” Ainsley Meyer

"[I've contributed] photographs embracing my gender as a transwoman in isolation during shelter-in-place. The images mean a lot to me because of how far I've come in my transition. They've been an important part of loving myself even in a world that alienates and rejects women like me. Women like me have had their throat slit open in rogue street attacks. I've also been assaulted before by transphobic men so I always wonder if COVID-19 doesn't claim my life, will they? Transphobia is also a virus.”