WATER

Pictured is artist and movement director Patricia Zhou, who participates in my ongoing artistic research project, WATER. WATER explores the intricate relationship between the human body and the self. Through a combination of collaborative portraiture and an online questionnaire, the series offers a unique sociological and artistic perspective on the interplay between emotions, identity, and physicality. During the questionnaire, Patricia described her body as her "home and instrument," a vessel filled with potential yet bound by its physical limitations. Patricia openly shares how changes in her body, particularly weight fluctuations, have impacted her mental well-being, largely due to the "consistent commentary" from others regarding her size. "These days, I try to let others' opinions matter less by putting less importance on outside noise, but it is a work in progress," she admits. Despite these challenges, Patricia finds harmony between her body and mind when she is in motion, expressing gratitude for how her body "brings [her] through this beautiful life."