Yiqiu Zhang

Shape of Pain

This project continues my exploration of domestic violence through symbolic studio photography. Building upon my previous series, I focus on the enduring tension between beauty and pain. By photographing body parts or objects squeezed or bound, I express psychological oppression through physical tension. In documenting the process of oppression, trauma gradually becomes visible. Throughout the project, shifting background tones distinguish distinct narrative threads, hinting at the diversity of women’s experiences and complex inner workings.

By manipulating light, composition, and form, these images attempt to translate personal suffering into a shared visual language that conveys empathy and resistance. This work invites viewers to confront the silent, enduring marks of violence lurking beneath the skin.