Sunburnt Angels: The Devil (2022)

“The Devil” from the Sunburnt Angels series is inspired by the devil card in the tarot.

At first glance, the word "devil" triggers imagery outside us — a fictional third-person figure that symbolizes evil, wrong-doings, and darkness. However, this artwork symbolizes that the concept of the devil and what it represents is present among us all as part of life's duality.

We, as living individuals, represent the duality of yin and yang, light and darkness, good and evil. And the term "devil" only seeks to express our "shadow self" — our darker side that keeps us from reaching the best version of ourselves.

This artwork represents that our darkness is natural and not necessarily something we should run away from -- Instead, we have to face the devil within us, look them in the eye, and examine them thoroughly to learn and make peace with them. Often, our darkness manifests as short- term pleasures that would deplete our authenticity in the long term — and recognizing and making peace with these tendencies is the most crucial step toward self- acceptance and transformation.