I am a descendant of European settlers in the treaty 7 region of southern Alberta, Canada. The history of colonialism in this country includes horrific acts of injustice towards First Nations peoples of this land. Recent un-covering of residential school grave-sites was heartbreaking to confront as a parent, and left me wondering how to respond without causing further harm or distraction from Indigenous community healing. This personal photo series is an attempt at expressing feelings of rage, shame, impotence, fear and sorrow. These feelings often feel unfocused, contradictory, and hobbling.
In making this series, I used a nylon fabric as a tool to give shape to my feelings. As I push my body into the fabric, I feel the resistance of the material and lean into it, sit behind it, or scream into it, allowing my emotions to guide my movement. The resulting imagery is a combination of artistic expression and a tool for further self reflection.
I created this series while participating in a photo bootcamp offered by Hundred Heroines, the only UK charity dedicated to women in photography. Participants came from London, Brighton, Cornwall, Oxford, Canada and Chippenham. Bootcamp was a two week online workshop offering the opportunity to collaborate, share ideas, develop skills and raise the profile of women in photography. Our collective online gallery can be seen at this link.
beneath the surface: shame
beneath the surface: fragmented
beneath the surface: sorrow
