Senior Project

This project explores emotional tension and manipulation through animals instead of human figures, using anthropomorphism to express psychological situations in a more symbolic and instinctive way. The title comes from a lyric that stayed with me because it describes moments when something appears kind or sweet on the surface but carries harm underneath, reflecting hidden emotional dynamics and shifting power between individuals.

I chose to translate this idea into the animal world because similar patterns already exist in nature. What we often read as “emotional behaviour” in humans can also be understood through survival, instinct, and hierarchy in wildlife. Predator–prey relationships, camouflage, stillness before attack, and trust used as a trap are all natural systems where manipulation and vulnerability exist without moral framing. By using animals, I wanted to replicate this reality and show that emotional tension is not only human but also deeply embedded in natural behaviour.

The visual language of the work is intentionally monochromatic, using only pink as a unified palette. I chose pink because it carries a dual meaning: it is often associated with softness, innocence, and emotional warmth, yet in this context it becomes slightly unsettling when it dominates the entire scene. By removing natural colour and restricting the composition to one tone, the focus shifts away from realism and towards emotion and psychological intensity. The pink acts almost like a filter over the scene, reinforcing the idea that something can appear gentle and inviting while still holding tension and underlying aggression.

The process includes close-up images of the work, showing texture, brushwork, and detail, as well as the gradual development of the composition. These details allow the viewer to see how the narrative builds not only through subject matter but also through material decisions and surface exploration.