“The Smiley Cut” stands as a visual chronicle of my journey through cancer treatment. The photographic medium provided an outlet for me to navigate the stages of grief and confront the transformative journey my body was undergoing. Through these images, I reclaimed control over my own physicality.
While time seemed to stretch infinitely, a tranquil refuge emerged in the nearby forest by my home – Safjället. This serene landscape became my sanctuary. I ran and walked there multiple times. I met there with friends, I photographed it,
I made it part of my journey.
The loop I ran every day symbolized the circularity of the chemotherapies and the side effects that my body was racing to overcome. The Safjällsgatan sign marked the beginning and end of every run I undertook.
In this work the public becomes private and the private becomes public, indicating a need for self-expression and connection through empathy and vulnerability.

