KATSIARYNA MIATS – I created this series during a three-month stay in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, where, as a queer person myself, I explored questions of care, fear, tenderness, and everyday life within and alongside local LGBTQ+ communities. This work is part of my ongoing research into how intimacy, resilience, and survival are shaped by systems of oppression and resistance. During my time there, I met people from different cities, generations, and backgrounds — each navigating their own path through a society structured by patriarchal and homophobic norms. Many of us shared a common experience: a sense of vulnerability and the quiet, persistent effort it takes to negotiate safety in daily life.