Emil remembers that as a child he spent many hours painting at his maternal grandparents’ house, and he used to lose track of time in each creation. The enjoyment during the process was so great that when he finished a drawing he couldn’t wait to show it to others. From his innocence he just wanted to share how much he had enjoyed it..

He was born and raised in Linköping (Sweden), a city that he describes as small, quiet and in the middle of nature. Surrounded by his family and friends, most of his activities took place between his studies and the practice of Karate – sport that forged a large part of his personality. During those years he learned to adapt to his culture and to follow the rules of Swedish society to the letter. However, his sexuality was something that was not in harmony within himself; and over the years that began to make too much noise. If it hadn’t been for “being gay”, he would have stayed in Sweden where he had a comfortable, safe life with no major challenges.

At the age of 17, he traveled to Costa Rica as an exchange student to learn Spanish, enjoy sunny days and immerse himself in the Spanish-speaking culture. He also shared with us that he chose that destination because he needed to “extend time and avoid coming into contact with his inner world” because at that moment it overwhelmed him too much.