Farewell to a “Lover” captures the gradual process of release and self-reflection through portraits of a figure from the artist's past, interwoven with quotes of things this person said to the artist throughout their relationship. Each portrait marks a stage in their connection, with the first images fully revealing the figure, accompanied by words from early in the relationship—and entirely obscured in the final portrait with words now from the relationship’s end, symbolizing the journey toward closure and self-discovery.
The holographic stickers, acting as mirrors, invite the viewer to reflect on the themes of intimacy, change and personal growth that arise when we part from someone influential in our lives. This transformation across the series suggests that letting go is not simply erasing the past but reframing it to gain clarity and understanding of oneself.
Octonio Zion Duff is a multidisciplinary artist born to a Canadian-Italian-Jamaican family. Octonio’s work reflects Octonio’s unique background and perspective as a queer mixed-race black trans person. Octonio creates visual, literary and wearable art pieces that center themes of queer, trans, BIPOC and neurodiverse experiences. Octonio lives and works in Tkarón:to.
