Like a horse chained to a metal post, we find ourselves yearning for freedom and autonomy that have become increasingly difficult to retain in the age of the smartphone. Our memories and personal histories, once preserved in photo albums and family attics, have been reduced to data stored on devices—easily captured and just as easily forgotten. Reflecting on lives that have faded from memory, I am drawn to symbols and structures in the physical world that invite reverence for those who came before us. My work examines the erosion of humanity within our increasingly intimate relationship with technology. Through painting, I explore the tension between connection and isolation, permanence and loss. The bright colors I employ initially suggest joy and optimism, functioning as a façade much like the smile of a passerby. Beneath this surface, however, darker forces linger: anxiety, insecurity, and isolation that often go unnoticed amid the distractions of contemporary life. Through my paintings, I seek to draw attention to the fragility of the modern condition, the destructive power of anxiety, and the importance of mental health in the twenty-first century. My work concerns memory, remembrance, and the danger of losing sight of who we once were—an understanding that remains essential as we navigate a rapidly changing world.