Stray by Jia Dunsby (South Korea)

Artist's Description: 
To me, this photograph primarily resonates with the theme “Imperfect Present”. I took this
photograph of a stray cat laying on a street corner in Jeju City, Jeju Island. This photograph
seems to exhibit a strong sense of juxtaposition between the beauty/elegance of the cat, with its
glacial blue eyes and pink undertones, and the heartbreaking situation it faces, having to live
alone on the street with limited access to food and water. I see a resemblance to women;
despite the inner beauty and innocence of women, they can often be surrounded by negativity
and discrimination purely on the basis of their gender. When I saw this cat, I was extremely
saddened by the isolation and negligence that was so central to its lifestyle, and I hope that
everyone can empathize with women in a similar way instead of dismissing their ideas and
experiences.
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I also feel that there’s a strong sense of hurt or vulnerability depicted in the photograph. Upon
approaching the cat, I immediately noticed the cuts along her waterline and the dried blood
covering the tip of her nose. I also saw lots of dirt covering her delicate white fur, and from the
way she looked up at us longingly, I could tell she was pleading for love. Thus, I’d also like to
place this photograph in the perspective of “A Past of Protest” because for so long, women have
endured so much suffering and bigotry despite their purity. It’s important that we don’t forget the
years of injustices women experienced, such as denied access to education, unequal treatment
in wider communities, and domestic violence. We must acknowledge the innocence and value
of women, break the chain of inequality and move towards boundless respect.
​​

​Isabella (Jia) Dunsby is a student at Seoul Foreign School in South Korea and will graduate
in 2024. She enjoys creative writing, economics, photography, and jazz music on rainy
nights. Her work has been published or is forthcoming in Polyphony Lit, Apprentice Writer, Blue Marble Review, and Cathartic Youth Literary Magazine.