Child [working title] is an intended body of series of photographic and video (self-)portraits where I perform to the lens while creatively engaging other subjects. The project stemmed from an entertaining activity I put on for my friend’s daughter where she would dress me and do my make-up and hair, and I would then photograph myself (series Anna-7-years). 

 

Inspired by the absence of my own child from my life, Child [working title] explores a sense of motherhood and is pursued in collaboration with other woman - the real mother - and her own child. The work is executed at my subjects‘ home and my intention is that, through experimentation, I expose myself to a superficial experience of mothering. 

 

I have worked with 3 women since and employed a few different approaches.
Series Jasmin-9-years and Ema-16-years were created through the play I alluded to above, but during these plays I was dressed in the clothes of their mothers following the daughters' choices. The dress is the key element. It connotes the identity I borrow, as well as signifies a sense of loss as the inevitable consequence. Series Johana-12-years was created through my quiet observation of the loving relationship between the mother and her child. The power relation between the subjects is essential to this execution, which is indicated by the shared control over the shutter release and timing of its triggering. The body language, the expression, the position within the given space are the child’s and mother’s conscious performance. Whereas my performance intends to convey a sense of loss. 

This project is a long-term commitment as prior to such collaboration a relationship with the subjects has to be established. If you are a mother who would be interested in taking part in this project and wish to learn more, please get in touch.