Asphyxiate, Anticipation, and Release: A Trilogy
Breathing Through the Pain: The Emotional Landscape of Asphyxiate, Anticipation, and Release
By Dama Divina
This series—Asphyxiate, Anticipation, and Release—was born from the wreckage of a breakup, but it speaks to more than just romantic grief. It speaks to a deeper betrayal: the moment when people reveal they are not who they first appeared to be. That particular heartbreak—the kind that begins in illusion and ends in disillusionment—is the thread that binds these works together.
Asphyxiate captures the moment of suffocation—not just by the end of a relationship, but by the growing awareness that something isn't right. There’s a strange tension here: a sense of danger and desire all at once. It's the feeling of being wrapped in someone's energy, consumed by them, only to realize that what you thought was intimacy was actually entrapment. It’s not just a gasp for air—it’s the first signal that something is off, even if you can’t name it yet.
Anticipation is the second act. Here, I explore that gnawing feeling—the subtle shift in tone, the misplaced words, the things left unsaid. It's the gut knowing before the mind catches up. There’s anxiety here, but also clarity. I can see people, truly see them, even when they try to hide behind their curated masks. Yet for so long, I allowed their illusions to overrule my intuition. This piece holds that dissonance: the quiet pain of watching a truth unfold in slow motion.
Lastly, Release—the reclaiming. It’s the decision to choose myself, even when the choice is lonely, even when it costs me comfort or connection. It’s the peeling back of layers, the clarity of walking away from anything or anyone that no longer aligns with my purpose, no matter how much they once meant to me. There is grief, yes—but also freedom and strength in these paintings, the kind that endures.
Together, these pieces are about reclaiming my identity. They are a reminder that my kindness and openness are not flaws—they are sources of power. I don't need to harden myself to be strong. I simply need to trust my ability to see clearly and walk away when I must.
This is not just art—it’s a spell, a boundary, a healing.
Remember to stay Divine my Star Child,
Dama Divina
