Emily Kilvington’s project focuses on renewal. Renewal is a very human concept. We all take solace in the idea that nothing truly ends. At the end of one thing, something else will always begin anew to take its place.  The cycle begins anew. We can see it in mythology throughout time, and we can see it in our day to day lives now. Consider how we celebrate the new year; we reflect on the past year and look to and celebrate the year ahead. We create resolutions in an effort to better ourselves for the future. We, as human beings, feel liberation and, indeed, hope at the idea of a fresh start and the chance to wipe the slate clean. It is a concept that we latched onto thousands of years ago, and it still endures today.

Now, on the opposite side of the spectrum is what happens when that cycle is not something to be celebrated? In stressful situations, it is easy to fall into a vicious cycle in an effort to cope or forget. Many amongst us develop not so heathy methods to avoid facing difficult emotions. We find ways to isolate ourselves from the real world to escape the situation; to think and feel about something, anything, else. As Kilvington has become more aware of what she is doing, it has begun to feel like a weight holding her down. Kilvington knows it’s not helping anything in the long run. Kilvington knows that she is only dealing with the symptoms instead of the root cause. Even so, when she does break free of that cycle, she still feels that a sense of hope and relief of a fresh start and is that not a sense of renewal too?