Shadowed by his father's loss, a bustling city birthed a 15-year-old boy’s dreams. Young and burdened, he clung to the distant hope of becoming an artist. Poverty choked his aspirations, forcing him to prioritize survival over passion. A horrific assault shattered his innocence, leaving him trapped in silent shame. Torn between duty and self-expression, isolation and despair threatened to engulf him, but a spark of resilience remained. This project uses the capacity of photographic narrative to represent complex emotional, social and cultural experience. It explores how 'voice' can emerge from silences; imposed and internalised and move beyond them, to take up purposeful representational space. I am Alok, currently pursuing an MA in Photography. Originally from India and now based in Nottingham, I have a background in portraits and a deep interest in capturing emotions.