“Held” is a looped animation featuring a wooden mannequin figure encased in a floating crystal sphere, with a glowing red heart pulsating at its center. Two mysterious black hands hover close — not touching, yet containing the orb.

This work is part of an ongoing collection exploring internal identity and external pressure, merging physical metaphors with emotional states.

• Refraction Through Sphere: Rendering realistic light distortion and subtle chromatic aberration through the transparent ball without compromising the clarity of the figure inside.

• Heart Lighting + Emission: Balancing the pulsing red light from the heart with its reflection and absorption in the glass and on the mannequin.

• Material Contrast: Combining organic wood, glossy crystal, and dark synthetic hands in a visually coherent palette — contrasting texture, tone, and mood.

“A heart still beats within — even when we’re trapped, encased, or manipulated. ‘Held’ explores the paradox of control and care — is the figure being protected or imprisoned?”
— Artist Statement

“Held” is a quiet yet powerful loop, fusing minimal animation with deep emotional subtext. The motion is subtle — the figure barely moves — but the glowing heart insists: something is alive inside. It’s a visual meditation on vulnerability, pressure, and resistance.