A wordy Wednesday welcome to all of you! We're bringing the verbosity this week in 20x200 land, following up Linzie Hunter's immensely popular Coney with two photographs from Kotama Bouabane which also play with words.

Just Let It Go and I'm Not Mad are two of my favorites from this Toronto-based photographer's witty series Melting Words. I first saw Kotama's work a few months ago on the excellent design blog Swiss Miss and was immediately smitten. Words! Photography! Humor! Ennui! These are a few of my favorite things.

The phrases in the series are stand-ins for the estranged, with their muffled emotion quite literally melting away in the places where lovers might meet (a bed) or part (over lunch, in a public place) or, once alone, reflect (staring out a window.)

The scenes and phrases from romantic squabbles are instantly recognizable, and look at how they linger: solid, then soaking in as they dissipate before entirely taking their leave. Ice, it turns out, is a particularly poignant and fitting medium for these words.

It's all kind of bleak, huh? And yet: the photographs are not! They're funny, albeit in a way that makes you a little uncomfortable. As Sara just said to me over IM, it's funny because it's true. And finding humor in life's uncomfortable truths is, ultimately, optimistic.

On that bright note, my work is done here for now. I'll be back next week with more more more. In the meanwhile, there's plenty of 20x200 to keep you busy: browse the archives, read the blog, or join us on Facebook where you can send some virtual 20x200 love to your friends.