Sa-Eed BEHARDIEN

The body of work, A Chaotic Heart, refers to the anxiety and discomfort of regulating and conveying emotions, or trying to react to in a way that is considered acceptable. As a young boy, I was often discouraged from expressing emotions such as fear and sadness or vulnerability, and even showing too much passion for something would end up in teasing. The work also explores the subconscious conditioning to suppress emotions, communication and the adverse impacts of repression such as metal ill heath and lack of empathy

My body of work uses Emotional Symbolism as my theme. By focusing on using symbolism and representations of emotions through the use of animals, colours, flowers, fruits, gemstones, shapes, textures, and influences of cultures, mythologies, religions, and traditions, I have created pieces of jewellery using brass, bronze, copper, sterling silver, and various gemstones, that relate to six different emotions: Pride, Wrath, Grief, Hope, Apathy and Love.

The use of emotional symbolism in my work acts as a bridge between adornment and self-expression, allowing the wearer to tell a story of who they are without saying a word.