The number 86—often used as slang for rejection or elimination—became a central focus for this work. I was drawn to how a single number can hold so much meaning, especially around the times we’re told “no,” whether by other people, by systems, or by circumstance.

Through layered textures and abstract symbols, I wanted to reflect on how rejection isn’t the end—it’s often the spark for transformation. What gets discarded or dismissed can become the foundation for something more powerful, more resilient, and more unapologetically expressive.