The title was born through my usual play on phrases, but I also pulled it from a specific sound: someone saying “relax” in an accent you can’t quite place. It feels unfamiliar, even slightly off—but when they say it with confidence, no one questions it.

I gravitate toward foreign accents. I feel most at ease around people from elsewhere—probably because I come from elsewhere too.

With this piece, I also push my ongoing parody of the art world. I keep seeing highly skilled artists place luxury brand logos into their work to drive quick sales. That pattern makes me question what we actually value—and how easily we assign worth.

If you really think about it, time itself functions as the ultimate luxury.

10″ x 10″ | pigment ink + mixed media on archival bamboo paper + AR