Look Deeper invites you into the unique world of the individuals, and the objects that are precious to them. Each sitter volunteered themselves as someone with an unusual hobby or lifestyle and was asked to bring items relating to their interest. For some, their chosen items generate an income, for others they provide an escape, for all they are a passion.
I would like the work to achieve two things, firstly to challenge the viewer to question what they assume of people, mirroring the age old expression You can’t judge a book by its cover; Secondly, I strongly believe that traditional techniques should not be forgotten as we further push the advancements in the digital era. As the march of the digital era continues, once common household items such as books and pictures have become increasingly obsolete and therefore precious.
My preferred method of work is with analogue and alternative processes; as a very tactile and practical person I am interested in the physicality of photography and the assumed aura that physical photographs hold. Look Deeper, uses wet plate collodion to push these ideas to the extreme, with the images being rendered on aluminium plates, known as tintypes. As well as the physicality of the final image, the kinesthetics of the process and the mindfulness involved are also an important part of the process. Much like the sitters in Look Deeper, the wet plate process is my labour of love, the whole experience has become my precious item.
I have been influenced by several artists, in particular by the great work of the late Tom Stoddart, especially his last publication Extraordinary Women, in which, through his observations of women all around the world in crises, he celebrates their courage, endurance and defiance. His unique perspective was a great inspiration and I feel privileged in having had the opportunity to interview him. I have also been greatly influenced by the work of Sally Mann and Borut Peterlin, both wet plate collodion artists. Manns work Faces particularly resonates with my own work, through her practice she courts the Angel of Uncertainty, embracing the unpredictable nature of collodion. In my own work I have come to love the flaws that are inevitable with the wet plate process. Each plate in its uniqueness is imprinted with my own essence, each flaw and mark on the image is a direct result of something I have done, turning each plate into a quasi self portrait. Academically, Walter Benjamin’s theory on the Aura has driven my exploration deeper into analogue and alternative processes. My dissertation Reclaiming the Aura considers the reasons behind the resurgence of film photography and people’s search for authenticity.
My previous projects take advantage of my personal life and experiences, for example, my time as a falconer led me to consider other women in a male dominated arenas and thus, Wild Women was created. These links are something I want to expand further; I am fortunate enough to have a life filled with extraordinary people doing adventurous activities and I would like to shine a spotlight on these wonderful individuals and show the rest of the world just how remarkable they are. Look Deeper can be seen as an introduction to some of these amazing people.