When it is Feared, it is Controlled

This painting examines how institutional power shapes identity through fear and control. Growing up with instability at home and limited support in school, I was often dismissed, underestimated, or disciplined rather than seen or understood. Teachers’ attempts to regulate my behavior mirrored the control I experienced elsewhere, reinforcing cycles of exclusion rather than empathy. The work confronts how educational, social, interpersonal systems respond to differences with containment and correction instead of curiosity or care. Using examples from lived experiences, the work showcases how apprehension of the unknown becomes a powerful force of control, rather than a path to understanding.