Matters (un)seen

There is no truth to the existence of angels and there never will be. The only evidence I have is my personal memories and the stories that have been passed down through my family. 14 years ago, my father was in a car crash that had devastating consequences for my family. He spent six months in the hospital. In times of tragedy, it is common for pain and despair to take over when there is no hope. My mother sought help from a spiritualist, who taught us how to pray, be grateful, and recognize signs from the universe. She also taught us not to fear these signs, but to accept them. While it may be that angels do not exist, in moments of despair, the meaningful coincidences of the universe can lead us to listen to our intuition and our soul.

Matters (un)seen is a story about the conflict between absurdity and self-belief, and about the strong, intuitive connection we can feel with angels.

Paula Punkstiņa (2001) is from Latvia, a fashion design graduate from Riga School of Design and Art. Currently based in The Hague, where she’s a photography student at The Royal Academy of Art.