You can't walk this earth forever. Someday you will have to fly.
By Starry Kong
Artist Bio
Starry Kong is a Melbourne-based visual artist who was born in Kunming, China. She obtained a Bachelor's degree and an Honours degree in photography from RMIT University, Australia in 2019 and 2020. Starry is interested in the intangible and inexpressible sentiments that are characteristic to humankind. She explores this phenomenon through her own experiences of loss, grief, alienation and her long-term mental illness, which has become the foundation and origin of her creative practice. Starry uses photography as the primary medium to express her inner feelings and thoughts, while metaphor and symbolisation constitute her visual art language.
Artist Statement / Description of artwork
For over a decade, the artist has lived with depression, sparking reflections on life’s meaning. Their view on mortality is complex—fearful of losing loved ones yet indifferent to their own.
 
 In 2018, the artist experienced profound grief when their beloved Australian mother passed from brain cancer, a loss that led them to question their place in the universe. This experience deeply challenged their beliefs about life’s significance.
 
 They found comfort in their mother’s words, “You can’t walk this earth forever; someday you will have to fly.” This phrase continues to inspire the artist, encouraging an acceptance of mortality as an inherent part of life.