Storm Choi, Breakwater

Breakwaters provide safe harborage for the shore, but over time, they will inevitably break down themselves from the unwavering cycle of the tide, storms, and sun. When photographing the breakwaters along New York City’s Atlantic coast, I think of my best friend who drowned himself in the nearby water and of the mental illness that broke him. Our lives are like these breakwaters–remaining intact is not possible; loss leaves scars on our souls; deep pain carves our bones changing the foundation of who we are. But I find beauty in what remains through the breaking, how each piece has been uniquely shaped by water, time, and sand, like monuments to memory. And often our cracks are where the light shines through.