Dear, darling, beloved began as a project about reconnecting with my culture, not through the traditional songs, folk dances or patterns, but through the small rituals of everyday life: certain ways of speaking, gestures, habits, and unspoken rules. Growing up on the internet and being exposed to so many other cultures gave me the freedom to pick and choose how I want to build my personalia. In that process, however, I slowly pushed out and replaced what was already there.

Through this project, I am trying to rediscover a more original version of myself, the parts quietly shaped by my upbringing, family, and cultural environment.  I do this by turning to my childhood memories and to the everyday digital traces of care, such as WhatsApp messages, that my grandmother sends me every day. These messages, along with fragments of memories, become emotional and archival material: small reminders or language, affection, rituals, and belonging.

At the same time the project becomes a way of translating those experiences for people outside of my culture, showcasing how cultural identity can live not only in grand traditions, but also in ordinary gestures, habits, and memories.