Editors Dana Stirling Yoav Friedlander Contributing Photographers Angela Strassheim Liron Kroll Melissa Spitz Jennifer Loeber Aubrey Hays Alia Ali Clara Turchi Rose Julianne Nash Julia Borissova Sarah Hiatt Christina Arza Kelly O’Brien Leslie Sheryll
Contributing Writer Nechama Winston Cover Angela Strassheim Back Cover Alia Ali Contact floatzine@gmail.com
All images Published in Float Magazine are the sole property of the featured authors (photographers, contributers and editors) and subject to copy-rights. No image or text may be reproduced, edited, copied or distributed without the express written permission of its legal owner. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, digital or mechanical, printed, edited or distributed without the prior written consent of the publisher. All Rights Reseved.
Float v. float¡ed, float¡ing, floats Middle English floten, from Old English flotian; see pleu- in Indo-European roots. a. To remain suspended within or on the surface of a fluid without sinking; b. To be suspended in or move through space as if supported by a liquid; c. to put forth (as a proposal) for acceptance; to be lighter than air, and to move slowly through it; to suggest an idea for people to consider to see how they will react;
p hot o : Jo c e l e n Ja n on
i s s ue 6
F e ma le gaze
Angela Strassheim www.angelastrassheim.com
Angela Strassheim
/ Te x t by Ne c h a m a Wi n s t on
New York a nd J erusa l em base d photograph e r
and th e u nca nny i n the everyd ay moments.
Ang e l a
IA)
Re fe r enc es to wa ter occu r rep ea ted ly i n p ools
se e saws b et ween t he d ua lit ie s th at exist in
(Je ssica Floa ti ng , 20 13 a nd Unti tled ( Ali cia i n
ca p t u r i ng t he rea l a nd t he pr e tend. T h e ar tist’ s
th e Pool ) ), i n b a throom s ( Self Portra i t In Pa rents
i mag e s
obsc ur e d
Bath r oom, 2008 ), a nd nea r food , a llu d i ng to a
memor i e s t ha t d evelo p wh il e th ink ing about
symbiosis b etween flesh a nd b lood ( Ja ni ne ( Ei ght
b ot h . St ra s shei m’s pi c t ur es can e it h e r func t ion
Mont h s P regna nt), 20 14 a nd Choi ces, 20 10). The
l ike a for en s i c pho t og ra ph for a c l inical study
ubiq uit ous presence of flu i d s a lso symb oli zes
or a s a momen t ex t ra c t ed fr om a st age d sc ene
th e c l ean si ng a nd eleva ti ng of the na tu ra l, whi le
i n a fa n t a sy r e- ena c t men t (Un t itl e d (L e ia) and
it simul ta neously references the messy, v iolent
S t ra s shei m
ra i s e
(b .
19 69,
q ues t ion s
Bloomfie l d,
ar ound
Un t i t l e d (Hors es )) . W hi l e h e r work push e s
and
sexua l.
Ru nni ng
wa ter,
pu re
spri ng s
t o b l u r t he d ef i n i t ion s a r ound tr ut h and
and chi ld hood play mesh wi th ori fi ces, “Th e t h ea t r i ca l d ra ma , i t a l s o examine s menstrua tion a nd a d u lthood . We s election t ran s for ma t ion s i n fema l e iden t ity, ex p eri ence the physi ca l a nd spi ri tua l of ph otograph s h ere mot h e rho o d a nd g i r l ho o d , a nd use s i n every si tua tion of sustena nce – from Stras s h eim’s New t h e dome s t i c s pa c e a s a backdr op. i n b i rth a nd d ea th ( Unti tled ( Ju lia ) Work ( In Prog res s ), He r l en s moves b et ween ea ch frame a nd Unti tled ( Gra nd mother)), i n Is rael, Left Beh in d t h a t r enders f l eet i ng i n no c enc e and the hospi ta l or i n the mortua ry, or an d Pau s e s eries , s h ar es not ion s of mort a l i t y. even a t the d i nner tab le a nd a t ou r an idealized chi ld ren’s b i rthd ay pa rti es. aes th etic s en s e of S t ra s sh e im wa s c ert i f i ed i n For en sic & Biome d i ca l P ho t og ra phy at Me tr o- u topian beau ty, overcas t The selection of photog ra phs here with an exagg erated D ade C oun t y, For en s i c Imaging from Stra sshei m ’s New Work look of s terile B u r eau i n M ia mi , F lori d a (1997) ( In Prog ress), Isra el, Left B ehi nd perfection ” b e for e ear n i ng her M FA i n P hotography a nd Pause seri es, sha res a n i d ea li zed a t Ya l e in 20 0 3 . Her t ra i n i ng in for ms t h e v i ewe r ’ s i n t er es t i n t he spac e s sh e work s
ae stheti c sense of u topia n b eau ty, overca st wit h an exag g era ted look of steri le p erfection
wit h in – ma i n l y i n b ed ro oms, eat ing ar eas, l iving
(Luc ien and Ka theri ne, 2005). Thi s, a long wi th
room s and b a ckya r d s . W h e t h e r we ar e in side
th e use o f d ra ma ti c li ght a nd ri ch color, i nject
or ou t s ide t he hous e, t he v i ewe r is given ac c e ss
doubt in the va li d i ty of these record s. The
t o a c om pl ex psycholog i ca l aut opsy wit h each
image s doub le a s d iora ma s for key pla cehold ers
ch ara c t e r a nd subj ec t .
of event s tha t cou ld ha p p en i n a nyone’s li fe. Strassh e im throws them onto med i ca l trays,
T h e r e l ig ious a nd r i t ua l i s t i c signifie r s in many
unde r neath
of
h eadl igh t for cri ti ca l d i ssection a nd i nqu i ry. Thi s
St ra s shei m’ s
s c enes
(i . e .
Unt itl e d
(Nic ol e
wit h Bir d ), S u mmer B oun t y, 2 0 1 5, Sun se t in th e Va l l ey of S a ms on a nd D el i l a , 2 008, and Savan nah Wi t h
Hen ,
20 1 4 )
rend er
both
famil iar it y
the
su rg i ca l
a nd
is both our cha lleng e a nd plea su re.
photog ra phi c
Angela Strassheim 6
text by Nechama Winston
You Have Nothing To Worry About 4 0 Melissa Spitz
Left Behind 5 8
Jennifer Loeber
Between Dog & Wolf 8 0 Aubrey Hays
Cast No Evil 9 2 Alia Ali
Ashes 1 10
Clara Turchi Rose
Unseen 1 30
Julianne Nash
152
Running To The Edge Julia Borissova
168
Sand Box Liron Kroll
186
In The Midst Of Things
210
Lagrimas-Negras
230
Dear God...
250
Botanicals
Sarah Hiatt
Christina Arza
Kelly O’Brien
Leslie Sheryll
You Have Nothing to Worry About /
Melissa Spitz
w w w.melissaspit z .c o m
You H ave N ot h i n g to Wor r y A b out , i s a co mplex a nd dif f i c u l t b o d y o f wo r k t h a t c a n b e b ro a d ly d efined a s do c u m e n t ar y p h o to g ra p h y. S in c e 2 0 0 9 , I h ave b e e n m ak i n g p ho to gra phs o f my
m e n t al l y
ill,
s u b s t a n c e -a b u s i n g
mo ther.
Her
dia g n o s e s c h a n g e f re qu e n t l y —f ro m a lco ho lis m to dis s o c i at i ve i d e n t i t y d i s o rd e r —a n d m y rela tio ns hip w i t h h e r h as b e e n f rau g h t wi t h a n i m o s ity fo r a s lo ng a s I c a n re m e m b e r. I a m f u l l y awa re t ha t my mo ther t h ri ve s o n b e i n g t h e c e n t e r o f at t e n t i o n a nd tha t, a t t im e s , o u r p o r t ra i t s e s s i o n s e n c o u rage her erra tic b e h av i o r. The
p h o to g rap h s
are
s i m u l t an eo u sly
and
e n c o u ra g i n g ;
honest
an d
ups etting
t h e a trica l;
loving
a n d h a t e f u l . C o r res p o n d i n g to m y m other ’s current b ipo l ar d i a g n o s i s , c o n f l at i n g t h e s e s eeming bina r y o p p o s i t e s i s t h e o n l y way to m ake p ho to gra phs o f h e r t h a t are re m o t e l y va l i d . B y t u r n i n g the ca mera to w a rd m y m o t h e r a n d m y rel at i o n s hip with her, I c ap t u re h e r b e h av i o r a s a n e c h o o f my o wn em o t i o n a l res p o n s e . Th e i m ag e s f u n c t io n like a n o n g o i n g c o n ve r s at i o n .
@NOTHING _TO_WORRY _ABOUT
Left Behind / Jennifer Loeber W h en m y M o m d i e d s u d d e n l y i n 2 0 1 3 , I f o u n d my s elf over whelmed by t h e n ee d to kee p eve n t h e m o s t m u n d an e o f her belo ngings . But in st e a d o f p rov i d i n g c o m f o r t , t h ey b e c am e a s ource o f d eep s a d nes s a n d a n xie t y. Th e o n l y way I c o u l d i m a g i n e m ov ing pa s t it a ll wa s to f o c u s o n ho w to i n t e rac t wi t h t h e s e o b j e c t s c atha r tica lly. I n 2 0 1 4 , I qu i e t l y d e b u t e d t h i s b o d y o f wo rk o n I ns ta gra m to dim in ish m y o wn s e n t i m e n t al i t y an d to re f ra me wha t ex a ctly my Mo m le f t b e h i n d . E a c h p h o to g ra p h i s p ai re d w ith a n a rchiva l ima ge t h a t u lt im a t e l y s p e a k s to i t s s u b j e c t .
w w w.jen n iferlo eber.c o m
t
- Mary Ellen Mark
t
“ I am just interested in what makes a photograph �
Between Dog And Wolf / Aubrey Hays D e f in ed by a m o m e n t at s u n r i s e o r s u n s et , wh en the light wavers in su c h t h a t a d o g o n t h e h o r i zo n c o u l d p e r h ap s be the lurking s ha d o w o f a w o lf . It i s a t i m e i n wh i c h ever y t h i n g d i s s o lves to s ha d o w, a nd t h u s b e c o m i n g s o m e t h i n g f ra g m e n t e d a n d u n t a med . I n n ego t ia t i n g m y o wn s u r ro u n d i n g s , a p ro c es s o f per fo rma nce a nd e n du ra n c e i s d e f i n e d . B y g rap p l i n g wi t h t h e unco mfo r ta ble, the dis q u iet , t h e u n k n o wn , I l ay g e s t u re to an over whelming need to ove rc o m e i s o l at i o n wi t h i n t h e s e r u ra l s p ac e s .
w w w.au b rey h ay s.n et
CAST NO EVIL / Alia Ali T h ro u g h o ut l i fe we a re p re s e n t e d wi t h en d l e s s ex a mples in which in div idu a ls a n d g ro u p s h ave b e e n e xc l u d e d f ro m co mmunities ba s ed o n a p p e a ra n c e s , b e l i ef s a n d ac t i o n s . W h en t h is h a p p e n s , t h e re m u s t al way s b e t wo , tho s e who impo s e st a n da rds, t h e d e c i s i o n m a ke r s , t h e ‘i n c l u d ed ,’ a nd tho s e they e xc lu de . C o m m u n i c a t i o n c an b e u s e d to b o t h co nnect a nd d ivid e, evo lve a n d re g re s s , e d u c at e an d d e s t roy. In clus io n is , therefo re, e n ga g in g s o m e o n e i n a d i al o g u e , b u t n o t n e c e s s a rily a verba l o ne.
w w w.alia-ali.c o m
I n h er p h o to g rap h i c s e r i e s , C a s t No Ev i l , Alia Ali invites the v ie w er
to
an a l y ze
their
s u b j e c t i ve
p e rc eptio n
in
rega rd s
to in c lus i o n an d e xc l u s i o n , an d t h e t h re sho ld in which the t ra n sit io n b e t wee n t h e t wo , o c c u r s . Wh a t a re the perimeters t h a t de f i n e e ac h ? T h e a r t i s t h i g h l i g h t s t h e n o t i o n o f t h e i m med ia te d ua lity tha t o c c u r s i n an y g i ve n s i t u a t i o n ; to h ave o n e , yo u mus t have the o t h er f o r e i t h e r to e x i s t . In t h i s c a s e , u n d e rs ta nd ing inclus io n re q u ires u s to b e c r i t i c a l o f wh a t i t m e an s to be exclud ed . I n o rde r to b e i n c l u d e d , m u s t o n e c o m e f ro m a s ta te o f exclus io n o r v ic e ve r s a? Th e t h e m e o f d u a l i t y e x t e n d s to ques tio ning the m o m en t i n wh i c h t h e m y s t e r i o u s b ec o m e s a ppa rent, res tra int b e c o m e s f re e d o m , t h e u n d e r n e at h b e c o m e s the a bove, a nd illu sio n b e c o m e s re al i t y. T h e c h a ra c t er s i n t h e p o r t ra i t s , c al l e d —c lud es , a re wra pped in layer s o f f a b r i c t h a t s h i e l d t h e m f ro m interrela ting with a n yt h in g
b eyo n d
the
m at e r i a l .
Wh at
are
thes e
fa brica ted
b a r r ier s i n s o c i e t y t h a t i n h i b i t t h e i n c o r po ra tio n o f o thers ? Or
a re
the
o b s t ac l e s
just
t h at :
ideas,
intuitio ns ,
fea r,
dis c r imi n at i o n s an d ‘u n d e r s t a n d i n g s ’? D o es inclus io n mea n a c c ep t a n c e? If s o , d o e s t h i s d e f i n i t i o n l e n d its elf to exclus io n m ea n in g re j e c t i o n ? O r d o t h ey b o t h m e a n d ifferent po ints o n
t h e sp e c t r u m o f to l e ra n c e ? W h a t s i d e o f t h e f a b r i c are we o n a n d c a n we be o n bo th s ides a t o n c e ? Wh e n we e xc l u d e , d o es it co me fro m the fe a r o f b e i n g e xc l u d e d o u r s el ve s ? Is n’t exclus io n a fo rm o f se c u r i t y, a s we l l ? If s o , wh a t i s i t t ha t we fea r fro m disc ove r i n g t h at l i e s b e n e a t h t h e c l o t h a nd behind the c u r t a in? B y re m ai n i n g i n d i f fe re n t , a n d i n co mmunica tive, d o w e b e c o m e l i ke o n e o f t h e m , d e h u m a n i ze d ? D ummies ? Or a re w e t h e o n e s e n c l o s e d a n d wh at we s e e i s a n illus ive ba rrier t h a t we h ave b e s to we d o n t h e m ? D o e s t h e m a t e r i a l s e t a p o we r d y n am i c ? It cer ta inly crea tes a b o un d ar y, b u t wh o h o l d s t h e p o we r ; them, fo r their a n o n ym i t y, o r u s , f o r t h e i r c o n f i n e m e n t ? W h o a re t h e ‘i n c l u d e s ’ an d wh o are t h e ‘e xc l ud es ’ ?
Ashes / Clara Turchi Rose I u n de r st an d t h e a r t -wo r k a s a b i o l o g i c a l o rga nis m, a s a n entity c a p a b le o f re s p o n s e to s t i m u l i , rep ro d u c t i o n , g ro wth a nd d evelo pment, a sys t e m t h a t i s a b l e o f e x p an s i o n a n d c o n t ra ctio n, a nd tha t ca n c ro s s b o rd e r s ( f o r ex am p l e wi t h b i o l o g y, s o c i o lo gy, ps ycho lo gy etc) a n d sh a re p ro c e s s e s o f p ro d u c t i o n o f k n o wl e d g e tha t no t neces s a rily a re do c u m e n t ar y o r i n t e r p re t at i ve . As h e s is a n o p e n c o l l e c t i o n o f f o u n d i m ag e s wh i ch a re the ba ttlegro und o f m y a r t is t i c re s e arc h o n b o t h t h e o n to l o g y a n d the a es thetics o f the do c u m en t , o f m e m o r y a n d h i s to r y. T h ey a re cre at e d by a d d i n g s c ra p e d -o f f p h o to gra phic s ur fa ce fro m o t h er p h o to g rap h s ( s o m e t i m e s l i qu e f i ed ) o n to vinta ge ima ges to compose further imaginaries.
w w w.c laratu rc h iro se.c o m
Unseen / Julianne Nash I b e ga n wo r k i n g o n t h e s e r i e s “ U n s e e i n g ” over three yea rs a go . T h is b o d y o f wo r k i s s i m p l y j u s t a v i s u al a r tis t a ttempting to u n de r st a n d wh at i t wo u l d b e l i ke to c o m p l e tely lo s e o nes vis io n , o ne s m aj o r to o l o f c o m m u n i c a t i o n , l ove a nd pa s s io n. I c a n re c a l l a d i s t i n c t m o m e n t i n t i m e , wh i l e s itting a cro s s the ro o m fro m m y g ra n d m o t h e r m a n y ye a r s a go , a nd beco ming in f u r ia t e d wi t h h e r f o r c o n t i n u a l l y as k i n g m e the ex a ct s a me q u e st io n wi t h i n a m o m e n t s t i m e . G i ve n , I was preo ccupied with s o m e t h i n g I wa s re a d i n g an d s i m p l y j u s t n o d d ed my hea d “yes ” to h e r q u e s t i o n . L i t t l e d i d I k n o w, h e r m ac u l a r d egenera tio n ha d p ro gre s s e d s o rap i d l y, t h a t m y h e a d m o t i o n wa s s imply a blur to h e r. Sh e c o u l d n o t d e c i p h e r m y v i s u al accred ita tio n to her s t a t em e n t , ra t h er p res u m e d t h a t I wa s s i m p ly igno ring her.
w w w.ju lian n en ash .c o m
As a yo u n g g i r l , m y g ra n d m o t h e r as s i s t ed my s ingle m o t h e r i n rai s i n g m y s i b l i n g s a n d m y s e l f a grea t d ea l. Se e i n g t h e wo m an , o f wh o m I n eve r t ho ught wo uld a pp ro a c h h e r o wn m o r t al i t y, u n a b l e to d ecipher my f ac i a l fe at u re s f ro m l e s s t h an f i ve feet a way wa s t rau m a t i z i n g f o r a c o m i n g o f a g e a r t i s t. M y i n i t i al re s p o n s e was to t ake as m a ny ima ges o f h e r an d m y g ra n d f at h e r a s I p o s s i b l y co uld while t h ey we re s t i l l g rac i n g m e wi t h t h e re pres ence. I c h ro n i c l e d t h e i r h o m e , an d t h e i r l i fe as much a s I p o s s i b l y c o u l d . I s p e n t m a n y we e ke n d s o f my co llege c a re e r, s k i p p i n g p a r t i e s an d s l e e p i ng over their h o u s e , i n h o p e s o f f i n d i n g s o m e t h i n g ind ica tive o f t h e i r n e w l i fe . Ho weve r, wi t h t h e p ro g re s s i o n o f t h i s pro ject, my own “ C a t h o l i c g u i l t � s e t i n ; I fe l t re s p o n sible fo r being a bl e to s e e . I wa s s c a re d o f f l au n t i n g my a bility to se e to h e r t h ro u g h p h o to g ra p h i n g . I w a s ex tremely h e s i t an t to o f fe n d h e r i n a n y way. I bega n vis iting f o r d ay s a t a t i m e , a n d l e av i n g wi t h m o re unex po s ed f i l m t h a n eve r b e f o re . I g re w u n c o m f o r ta ble behind m y g ro u n d g l as s i n t h e i r h o m e , b e c a u s e I s ta r ted to re g i s t e r o u r s h are d m o r t al i t y. M ac u l a r
D e g e n e ra t i o n
is
a
i n h e re nt
co nd itio n.
M e a n i n g , t h e re i s a l a rg e c h an c e t h a t I will s lo wly lo s e m y v i s i o n , to o .
Th i s
is
essentially
wh y
I
begun
to
phy s ica lly
d e g rad e m y n e g a t i ve s ; i n o d e r to s o m eho w a bs o lve m y s e l f o f t h e g u i l t I fe l t b e i n g a b l e to ex perience the wo r l d , a n d to b a t t l e wi t h m y o wn fe ar s o f a bs o lute d a r k n e s s . I c o m p i l e d a s t a c k o f ove r 20 nega tives t h at I c h e r i s h e d o f m y g ra n d p are n t s; ima ges o f u s to g e t h e r, o f ad o r i n g g l a n c e s , an d o f trea s ures wi t h i n t h e h o m e . I d o u s e d t h e m i n b l e a ch, clea ning so l u t i o n s , s al t a n d s u g a r, b o i l e d t h e m , burnt them— d e s t roye d t h e m i n eve r y way I c o u l d t hink o f. I n my own way, t h i s h e l p e d . I wa s a b l e to u nd ers ta nd the lo s s m y g ran d m o t h e r was e x p e r i e n c i ng a n a ver y p e r s o n a l m an n e r ; an d was a b l e to d iminis h my a nx i e t y over l o s i n g m y s el f , to o . Wi t h t h a t , I b ro ke b a r r i e r s wi t h i n m y o wn pho to gra phic p ro c e s s , a n d was c a p ab l e o f c reat i n g much d ifferent wo r k . I s to p p e d fe ar i n g t h e c a m e ra, a nd it’s a bility to re n d e r t h e s e e n an d u n s e e n . I to o k ad van t ag e o f i t . Fi r s t o f f , I b ega n to ma ke m a n y i m ag e s u s i n g a s i m p l e p i n h o l e ca mera . I wa s in t e res t e d i n b re ak i n g d o wn m y v i s ua l elements to i t ’s p u re s t f o r m —ab s t rac t c o l o r a nd s ha pes . I d e c i d e d to p l ac e t h e p i n h o l es i n fro nt o f the m o m e n t s i n l i fe t h at I c h e r i s h t h e m o s t: s uns ets / su n r i s e s , s n o ws to r m s , s t arg az i n g , e c t. T he res ults we re e s s e n t i a l l y t h e m o s t a b s t rac t f o rms o f vis ua l re l a t i o n I c o u l d a c c o m p l i s h at t h a t t i m e. Es s entia lly, I wa s c rea t i n g i m ag e s t h at m y g ran d mo ther co uld a l s o e n j oy. Th e re we re n o t d e t ai l s t h a t s he mis s ed , or s p o t s o f d a r k n e s s o b s c u r i n g f o c us —they were si m p l e en o u g h f o r h e r to e n j oy.
Running to the Edge / Julia Borissova I n t h i s p ro j e c t I re fe r to t h e s u b j e c t o f t he firs t wave o f R u ssi a n e m i g ra t i o n i n 1 9 2 0 ’s . C o m b i n i n g o ld pho to s a nd f lo w e r p e t al s I d e s t roy t h e o r i g i n a l i m ag e s o f peo ple in the p h o to s a n d m ake t h e m a n o n y m o u s . I ref l e c t o n h o w wi t h t h e l a p s e o f t i me s o me d eta ils a re e ras e d f ro m o u r m e m o r y an d eve r y time we reca ll so m e t h i n g f ro m t h e p a s t , we c o n s t r u c t a no ther ima ge re p la ci n g s o m e p ar t s by n e w o n es . I’m tr y ing to d o the sa m e wi t h t h e p i c t u re s . Th i s way I’m a l s o tr y ing to a chieve t h e c o n n e c t i o n b e t we e n m o d e r n d i m e n s io n a nd telling a sto r y.
w w w.ju liabo rissova.ru
Liron Kroll is a London based
This
visual
carefully constructed environment
ar tist,
graduate
of
the
is emphasized by the rich,
Royal College of Ar t.The themes
Kroll
of her work are based around the
digital layering techniques.
achieves
using
different
illusiveness of normality. She is interested in the inherent
In
contradiction in the need to belong
dismantles
to a social structure, but being
worlds,
simultaneously repulsed by it.
builds new realisms. One of her
her
images Kroll
focuses
moment
of
on
a
creation and
she
process, creates
Kroll visual
reassembles
may
include
bits
and and
specific
pieces taken from over hundreds
acknowledgement
of different photos, photos taken
and realisation. Her characters,
in
those whom we see within the
Thereby
image and those whose presence
supposedly “photographic Image�
is only implied, exist in a state of
from any standard anchors in time
constant conflict.
and space.
different
w w w.liro n kro ll.c o m
times
Kroll
and
places.
disconnects
the
In The Midst Of Things / Sarah Hiatt T h ro u g h
p h o to g ra p h y,
I
e x am i n e
the
phy s ica l
a nd
p s yc h o l o g i c a l g ro wt h t h ro u g h o u t c h i l d h o o d . O ver t he c o u r s e o f f i ve ye a r s , E m m a, E t h an, a nd eventua lly W illia m , h ave s e r ve d a s s t an d -i n s f o r t h e i d ea s o f yo uth I a m a t t e m pt i n g to re p re s e n t . W h ile eve r yo n e’s p e r s o n a l l i fe e x p e r i e n ces a re ex tremely va r ie d, we s t i l l s h a re t h e f am i l i a r p at h o f gro wing into o ur b o dies, d e l i g h t i n g i n i n n o c e n c e , a n d g rap p l i ng with lo s s . T h e p a s s i n g o f t i m e a d d s l aye r s o f ye ar s and ex periences o n o u r m ind s a n d b o d i e s , c h a n g i n g an d e x p a n d ing o ur co ncerns .
w w w.sarah -h iat t .c o m/
T im e
e x t en d s
wh i l e
pushing
us
f o r ward
a nd
upwa rd .
A
h ig h c h a i r l e f t u n u s ed i n t h e c o r n e r, a s h i r t tha t tugs a ro und t h e w ai s t , a n d a b aby to o t h t h at h a s wi ggled its way o ut, n o lo n g e r n e e d e d , are f rag m en t s o f p h y sica l gro wth s een t h ro u gh o u t t h e s e r i e s . T h e ir h o m e s e e m s a s afe p l ac e wh e re l e arning a nd gro wth t a ke p l ac e . R e l at i o n s h i p s a n d i d e n t i t y are built a nd nur tured w it h in a d o m e s t i c , wo m b -l i ke en v i ro n m e nt. Child ren o ften p h ysic al l y a n d em o t i o n al l y m a t u re b eyo n d the bo und a ries o f t h e h o m e . Th i s o u t g ro wt h i s re p re s e n t e d i n fa d ed s ta ins a nd m a r k- m a k i n g s l o c a t e d wi t h i n t h e i r s p a c e . T h e im a g e s s e r ve a s a s o r t o f c o m i n g -o f -a ge s to r y ; a vis ua l n a r ra t ive c re at e d t h ro u g h p e r s o n a l e x p e r i ences a s I s truggle w it h m y o wn p u r p o s e an d t h e t h e m e s o f guilt a nd s evere lo n e lin e s s t h ro u g h o u t m y l i fe . T h e c h i l d re n a re o f t e n s e e n i n qu i e t s p a ces , is o la ted a nd s u r ro u n d e d by d a r k n e s s . Th e i r i n t e r n a l l i ve s a re bro ught fo r th t h ro u gh e x p re s s i o n a n d g e s t u re . Th e i n ev i t ability o f a d ultho o d lo o m s ove r t h e m i n t h e d i s c o m f o r t o f t ra n s itio n. But, like a ny t ra n s it i o n , c h i l d h o o d i s t e m p o rar y.
Lagrimas-Negras
/ Christina Arza In
Lagrimas
Negras
(Black
Tears),
Christina Arza probes her identity as a second-generation Cuban American. In the photographs, Arza imagines what life might have been for her in Cuba.
w w w.c h rist in aar za.com
Dear God... / Kelly O’Brien
w w w.kellyo brien ph o to .c o m
As a ch i l d I wo u l d f i n d m y m o t h e r ’s l e t ters a nd p rayer s h i d d e n a ro u n d t h e h o m e . I wo u l d o pen a b o o k a n d a l e t t e r wo u l d f a l l o u t i n to m y l ap. I wo uld f in d t he p ag e s o f o u r c a t h o l i c t e x t s g ra f f itied with s c r ib b le d p a s s a g e s . At t h e t i m e I was p e r plexed a s to t h e p u r p o s e t h es e l e t t e r s a n d p raye r s h e l d . N o w a wo m an I u n d e r s t a n d t h a t t h ey s e r ved a s a m e a n s o f s u r v i va l f o r m y m o t h e r, a way to relea s e t h e m e m o r i e s t h a t s h e was b u rd e n e d wi t h, to give vo ic e to t h e d e p re s s i o n s h e wa s e x p e r i e ncing a nd s e e kin g to ke e p h i d d e n . Th e s e l e t t er s we re a way f o r h e r to d e c l are h e r p ai n , s a d n e s s a n d o f t en a nger a b o u t n o t o n l y h e r s u f fe r i n g b u t al l t h o s e s uffering in t h e wo r l d . My m o t h e r h as n o w o f fe re d m e t h e s e l e tters a nd p rayer s s o I m ay h ave a wi n d o w i n to wh a t s he wa s exp e r ie n c i n g . In t h es e wr i t i n g s , e a c h o n e po wer fully en t it le d ‘D e ar G o d ’, I h ave wi t n es s e d h er s uffering a n d t rau m a a s a s u r v i ve r o f d o m e s t i c abus e, the s h o c k wi t h i n h e r t h at s h e s u r v i ve d an d t h e s ca rs s he c a r r ie s. T h is p h o to g rap h i c s e r i e s , ‘D e a r G o d ...’, i s crea ted in re sp o n s e . Th e a c t o f m ak i n g t h i s b o d y o f wo rk is a co l l a b o ra t i ve p ro c e s s o f b o t h a m other a nd da u g h t e r re -c o n n e c t i n g , s e e k i n g to g a i n a d eeper u n de r st a n d i n g
of
their
s h ared
h i s to r y,
a nd
the
c rea t io n o f a b o n d b e t we e n t wo wo m e n who s e lives h ave b e e n af fe c t e d by d o m e s t i c v i o l e n c e .
Botanicals / Leslie Sheryll
w w w.lesliesh er y ll.c o m
I e x p l o re fe m al e i d e n t i t y. My i m a g e s b e g i n wi t h an o n y m o u s 19th centur y t int y p e s , wh i c h I ap p ro p r i a t e a n d a l t e r. I na me ea ch w o m an to g i ve h e r a n i d e n t i t y. Th e na mes tha t I u s e a re f ro m t h e e ra i n wh i c h s h e lived . Severa l eve n t s o c c u r re d d u r i n g t h e 1 9 t h c e n t ur y. T inty pes b e c am e t h e f i r s t m e an s o f re c o rd i n g o ne’s ima ge t h a t wa s a f f o rd a b l e f o r t h e m as s e s . D ar win’s wo rk in b io l o g i c al d e t e r m i n a t i o n h e l p e d f u e l the belief tha t m e n we re t h e s u p e r i o r s e x . A wo m an’s ro le wa s a s w ife an d m o t h e r an d s h e was c o n f i n e d to the ho me. B o t a n i c a l i l l u s t rat i o n was o n e o f t h e few pa s times t h a t was ac c e p t ab l e f o r wo m e n to s t ud y. “Altho ugh w o m e n we re n o t e n c o u ra g e d to t ake up bo ta ny a s a p ro fe s s i o n , m e m b e r s o f t h e e l i t e c l a s s co ns id ered t h e p rac t i c e o f i l l u s t ra t i n g a n d s t u d ying pla nts a m o ral i z i n g p u r s u i t a n d a m e an s o f n atura l theo lo gy a c e l eb ra t i o n o f t h e g re at n es s o f Go d thro ugh the s t u d y a n d c o n t e m p l a t i o n o f Hi s c re a tio ns .” (Sa ra h Ho r n e 2 0 1 6 ) Flo we r s h ave t h e i r o wn l an g u a g e . B ea uty, d es ire, love , b i r t h , d e at h ... E a c h o f m y i m a g e s tells a s to r y. T h e c o m m o n t h re ad i s t h a t m y wo m en a re s tro ng a n d d e t e r m i n e d to s u r v i ve an d b re ak ba rriers . My w is h i s f o r t h e v i e we r to t a ke a m o m e nta a nd think about
wh at
t h ey
a re
seeing.
Th i s
is
es pecia lly
im p o r t an t c o n s i d e r i n g o u r c u r re n t p o l i tica l s itua tio n. We n e e d to u n d e r s t an d o u r p a s t a n d ta ke a ctio n to p ro t e c t o u r f u t u re .
Thank You.