A playful series by Florida-based artist Chrissy Lush. Looking inward and projecting outward, Lush creates performative self portraits as a way of working through her relationship to the world and exploring the intimacy of exposing things that are deeply personal. In this particular series, Lush reflects on turning 40 and officially entering middle age by literally holding on to her youth and imagining herself on a journey with her younger self:

“Embracing her, I tried to hold onto the feeling of her. I photographed myself multiple times then stitched them together to create an exchange between them. The scenes I create through this process conjure memories of my younger days. I am consciously giving myself a place to play and recall those youthful feelings. I portrayed both versions of myself the same to express the idea that it is my present self revisiting a memory. Even when recalling a past memory to try to recapture that ephemeral spirit of youth, I will always be my present self with all of my present thoughts and feelings.”

See more images from “Hold Me Tight” below!