(A study of 13 handmade Platinum Prints in the size of 40×50cm, Limited Edition)

This series is a personal exploration of beauty, emotion, love, and affection. It starts with with tulips gradually that I grew in my garden and  expands into something that is still needs to be found.

The title "My Secret Garden" reflects a private space of discovery, where visual language becomes a way to process feelings and reflect on what it means to be close, to be vulnerable, and to observe.

Across many cultures, gardens have symbolized harmony, paradise, and personal growth. Tulips, too, carry layers of meaning—grace, love, the fleeting nature of life.

This body of work is not about flowers alone. It’s about the quiet, sometimes uncertain journey of opening up to beauty—where it’s found, and where it leads.

Returning from one of my travels, I was greeted by the sight of 250 tulips in full bloom. While I could have simply bought them at a flower shop, the experience would not have been the same. My goal was to establish a personal connection with them—to feel as though they truly belonged to me. I chose the right spot, watered them diligently, and visited my garden daily when I was home to check their progress. I ensured no weeds overshadowed them, and when they finally bloomed, the beauty they offered felt incredible, much deeper because my heart and emotions were involved.

I examined each tulip closely, considering what I liked and how best to celebrate their beauty in my photographs. Then, I took them into my small studio and spent two days capturing their essence in pictures. These tulips were unlike those simply purchased from a shop.

A few years ago, I asked a friend, an accomplished curator and gallerist, how she defined art. Her response was, "when something very personal becomes common." I've contemplated her words often, and they resonate with me strongly, as they did during my experience with the tulips. That's why I've titled the series "My Secret Garden." It's a journey of personal experience—emotions like love, affection, pain, hurt, and hope. I aim to share these deep personal emotions through the series: exploring what beauty truly means to me, embracing love and affection, passion, and truth. It's my wish to open these feelings up to others so that they too can identify and find themselves within this work. It's a personal discovery that teaches me about myself and allows me to share that understanding with everyone.

I believe this is akin to what Van Gogh, Picasso, Monet, or Modigliani did with their paintings; their works reveal who they are. In photography, particularly portrait photography, we often fail to express ourselves deeply, seeking instead an audience's approval. This realization led me to take a two-year break from portrait photography to better understand my emotions and intentions. With "My Secret Garden," I feel the urge to return to portraiture, which will become Part Two of the series. Like nurturing my tulips, such care and attention are essential in portrait photography. This is a lesson I've learned from masters like Peter Lindbergh and Paolo Roversi. Lindbergh once said that he needs to fall in love with each person he takes pictures of and that he truly does. I think it's nessecary.