Smile - Poster

“Smile” is a haunting digital illustration that delves into the darkness of
forced happiness and the façade of normalcy. The piece features a gaunt
emaciated, female figure, her skeletal structure exposed from
starvation, her bloodshot eyes stretched wide in terror. Fishhooks are
embedded in her cheeks, tugged tightly by fishing lines to force a
grotesque, unnatural smile—a painful and disturbing distortion of joy.

This portrayal is a stark reflection of how society often pressures
individuals to present themselves as happy, sane, or ‘normal’ even when
they are clearly suffering, at times on the brink of death. Inspired by my
own personal experience and the harsh reality many face, “Smile” invites,
the viewer to confront the tragic truth of human vulnerability, and the
masks we were to survive.