Flowerin’ Black Swan, c. 2020

Flowerin’ Black Swan embodies the triumph of embracing one’s darkness rather than denying it. In contrast to her white counterpart, the Black Swan is supported and uplifted by surrounding white swans, who rise behind her in solidarity—celebrating her ascent despite her shadowed nature. Inspired in part by Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan and Natalie Portman’s portrayal of Nina, this painting explores self-dichotomy and the coexistence of opposing identities. It reflects the artist’s own lived duality—as both a mathematical actuary and a visual artist—and the acceptance of complexity within the self.