My hero is the journey

At the heart of this artwork is the idea that my true hero is my childhood itself—every person, place, and moment that shaped me. Rather than celebrating a single figure, this piece honours the collective strength, warmth, and guidance that allowed me to grow. My hero is the journey: the innocence, the discoveries, the people who held me, taught me, and carried me forward. It is the foundation on which I stand, and the reason I have become who I am. Because the artwork is abstract and not very direct in its message, it invites the viewer to interpret this idea through symbols, emotions, and hints rather than through literal storytelling.

In this piece, my present self appears on the left, drawn in graphite and charcoal, grounding the work with a sense of reflection and self-awareness. To the right, a collage of buildings and a playground forms a landscape of memory—familiar spaces that shaped my early experiences and created the backdrop of my growth. The figure of my mother holding me as a baby connects these elements, symbolizing love, guidance, and the support that carried me through my earliest years.

In contrast to the monochrome tones of the past, the flowers in the top right corner bloom in vivid colour. They represent continuation, growth, and the new possibilities that arise from the roots of memory. Through this contrast and through its abstract nature, the artwork traces a journey from where I come from to who I am now, revealing how each memory, place, and person continues to blossom within me.