Once a design and illustration specialist, Korean photographer Enae stumbled upon an old camera back in 2016, took to social media and never looked back. As an art photographer, her focal point is the contradictory nature of emotions and the imperfect narratives of human beings in a hyper-aesthetic and materialistic world.

“That which is acquired easily is also lost in a heartbeat.” Indeed, although Enae used to fixate on themes such as depression and helplessness, she now looks externally at the social isolation and relational decay present in her immediate community.

In Enae’s photographic universe, individuals seek meaning and emotional stability via impulsive shopping sprees and sentimental outbursts on social feeds. As emotions clash and social anxiety builds, the crowd begin to isolate themselves voluntarily rather than endure the presence of significant others in their lives. Like instant food, the sweet taste of affection becomes nothing more than a craving. While instant food is simple and delicious, however, an over-fascination with its convenience can seriously harm one’s health. In her series, “Instant Love,” Enae zones into the lives and movements of exhausted souls as they break down and package up human emotions into edible ingredients. Instead of relying on others for love, they quietly purchase convenient emotional fixes and binge until their heart’s content.

Instant Love.

Instant Love.

When a consumer cracks open one of Enae’s emotion cans, they are swiftly engulfed by a nihilistic deluge and an even deeper sense of loneliness. Striking to the senses, her sweet temptations embolden us to say no to materialistic impulses and seek meaningful bonds and genuine moments of intimacy instead.

Instant Love.

Instant Love.

Instant Love.