No Presence in The New Land

These contrails across the blue sky have always made me feel both hopeful and sad. I moved to the UK alone, far away from the people I love. My sister is in the US, and my parents are even further away from me. One of them is in a coma, and there is a lot of uncertainty around what will happen. Because of this, distance has started to mean something different to me.
When I look at these trails in the sky, I sometimes imagine them as highways. They make me think about movement, travel and the desire to find somewhere better. In some way, they also remind me of my own journey to the UK. I came here hoping to build a better life, but moving forward does not always mean leaving everything behind emotionally.
The contrails also disappear very quickly. That temporary nature reminds me how fragile life can be. Sometimes they feel like wishes that stay in the sky for a few moments and then slowly disappear.
Even when I am surrounded by beautiful landscapes, there can still be a lot of chaos inside me. This is why I started including maps in the work. A map can tell me exactly where I am at that moment, but it cannot explain how I feel. Physically I know my location, but emotionally I can still feel lost, distant or unsure of where I belong.
For me, the work sits somewhere between these two feelings. There is beauty around me, but also sadness and uncertainty. There is movement, but also separation. The photographs are about trying to understand that space between knowing where I am and still searching for a sense of home.