Xuân is a gardener, musician, father, husband, and entrepreneur in my neighbourhood. We met about a year ago and have been building a friendship grounded in mutual respect and affirmation. His thoughtful nature, optimism, and grounded practicality made him an ideal subject for a portrait that explores identity through symbolic imagery.
Lately, I’ve been reading about Symbolism and Surrealism and have become increasingly interested in how symbols can enrich portraiture—how a single object or gesture can extend the emotional and psychological depth of an image. In this series, I set out to subvert traditional associations of flowers—often reserved for depictions of femininity, weddings, or sentimentality—by incorporating them into portraits of men. My intention was not only to challenge visual conventions but also to allow each portrait to stand on its own: a psychological space that speaks to who the sitter is, while reaching toward something more universal.
For Xuân’s portraits, I first chose Delphiniums, a flower symbolising the drive to achieve personal goals. They reflect his quiet determination and the forward momentum that defines his character. In another version of the portrait, I included thistles—symbols of strength, resilience, and courage—as a response to the demands he navigates daily as a small business owner and devoted parent. Both choices were intentional and deeply tied to his lived experience.
Inspired by Dürer’s self-portraits and the visual tension between light and shadow, I also created an image without any floral elements, relying solely on light and proximity to reveal his interiority. By moving closer with the camera, I wanted to emphasise Xuân’s presence—his calm, his focus, his thoughtfulness.
These portraits are not only visual representations but emotional interpretations. Through symbolic detail and compositional choices, they aim to honour the richness of Xuân’s identity: his connection to the earth, his nurturing of community, and the quiet strength he brings to all aspects of his life.
