‘Avoidance’, by Rukmini Poddar is a depiction of how we can often end up in a pattern of avoidance, often as a result of trying to manage difficult emotions. It is another piece of of her ongoing project ‘Mapping My Heart’, and visually depicts the overbearing feelings stemming from fear, grief, shame, and anger. More so, how blinding ourselves to the reality of these emotions to escape sometimes feels like the only option.

Depicting four figures all covering their eyes or hiding their face while being forced to confront the above emotions, it truly brings about those uncomfortable feelings of avoidance. To me it perfectly encapsulates the roots of avoidance and what it feels like to be made to deal with it. Despite the discomfort it results in, there is truly something beautiful in being able to resonate with these depictions and can even help us to reflect on how to better deal with these root causes of fear, grief, shame, and anger. You can follow Rukmini’s ongoing project and other artwork on her Instagram.

Image Credits:

Body Image: Rukmini Poddar (Used with artist’s permission)

Featured Image: Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash