A World of Her Own

Ileana Montaño takes Nilofer Khan through her spellbinding reveries that render a lyrical depiction of the mundane beauty around us.

-  Nilofer Khan

Have you ever had a vivid dream? Were you able to pay attention to its intricate details, textures, and colours? Have you noticed how your clothes, surroundings, and the ambience fool you into believing it is real? It is when you wake up that you realise things were strange... A figment of your imagination. However, a part of you refuses to believe it was entirely fabricated. There were fragments of reality concealed within your fantasy. Perhaps, you saw, heard, read something, or met someone who affected you deeply, changing you in the most smallest of ways.

Often, one is unaware of such experiences that help them become who they are meant to be. But, there are a few who seem to acknowledge these subtle differences in their characteristics. One such person is Ileana Montaño, whose ethereal photographs portray how our multiple personas enable us to accept our challenging circumstances. “For me, the concept of ‘selfie’ didn’t previously exist, and neither the self-awareness that came with it. I used to feel like a stranger to myself. I was frequently surprised by some of my gestures, poses, and photographs. But soon, I learned to see myself in a whole new perspective,” she expresses.

Hidden in Plain Sight