“Philophobia” explores the complex emotions tied to the fear of love.

At the center is a figure surrounded by red roses - symbols of love - yet also covered in thorns, representing how love often brings pain.

The girl’s back bears reddish-brown marks, symbolizing past negative experiences, while blue stains represent her fear of being hurt again. Scratches on her shoulder hint at self-punishment for her trust issues and emotional avoidance. To the left, a hand reaches out to offer help, but she turns away. The male hand is covered in blue thorns, reflecting her prejudices, past trauma, and anxiety, which she projects onto others.

”Philophobia” is a struggle between craving connection and pushing it away, and I hope I was able to capture that inner conflict.