In Safe, but Not Free, I explore the uneasy boundary between protection and confinement. I think of a small animal hiding in dense shrubs while a powerful predator remains nearby. Concealment offers safety, but every movement risks exposure. I recognize that vigilance—the need to remain hidden, the fear of stepping out. I have been there.

Closely gathered vertical forms fill the canvas, bending and merging into layers of green, blue, and violet. Narrow passages of yellow interrupt the enclosure without revealing a clear way through. The surrounding forms offer cover while limiting movement. There is no open horizon where the eye can rest.

I also associate this tension with the refugee camp: a place where shelter can coexist with uncertainty, dependence, and a prolonged wait for home. Having escaped immediate danger does not necessarily restore the freedom to decide where to go or how to live.

This painting holds the moment when protection is necessary and still insufficient. I am concerned with what survival asks of us when remaining safe means remaining still—and with the longing to move beyond shelter into a life we can choose.

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