Developmental Process of an Artist - A Photographer who tells Stories about Lives of Ordinary People.
Júlíusdóttir, Díana (2022)
Júlíusdóttir, Díana
2022
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https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2022120526527
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2022120526527
Tiivistelmä
This essay is parf of a final project in the Master of Culture and Arts, Entrepreneurship in the Arts and Photography at The Novia University of Applied Sciences. The other part of the final project is an artwork that will be exhibited during graduation in December 2022 in Jakobstad. Díana had an idea to create photographic work from two personal stories that are very different. She thinks it is very important to give a voice to ordinary people who fight against injustice or have been subject to injustice, violence or faced trauma, create photographic works from their stories and thus draw the attention of others to stories that traditionally go untold in our society. In her opinion, these are the stories that need to be brought to our attention and discussed in society.
I will first be telling the story about the search of the family of a 11-year-old boy who has an incurable disease for a treatment, I intended to take photographs only, but the work then developed into video recordings. The idea was to make a short documentary about the injustice the young boy faces when when denied experimental treatment in his home country Iceland and his family's search for a drug treatment that could help slow down the disease. During this time, the family goes through a roller coaster of emotions, constantly alternating between hope and disappointment. I took documentary photos and videos of the family and followed them in their daily life, both in good and bad times.
In the second story I tell about an ordinary woman who has suffered great injustice in life, been subject to violence and beatings from early childhood and battled cancer. In my photograhs I lend the woman a voice to tell her story of the traumas she has suffered since childhood and in her adult life. I took photographs which I then developed into a video so that the photographic work was both a flow and a whole with a musical composition underneath.
In order to create photographic work from these stories, I had to start gaining the trust of the people who are the subjects of my stories. I also had show them patience and respect throughout the work process. Once I had gained their trust and they were ready to share their life experiences, there was an opening. They started talking openly with me without any inhibition and their life stories flow out just like water. I mad sure they got enough space (time) and freedom to tell their stories.
I felt very empowered telling theses stories just as I have felt in my artistic career as a photographer in recent years. In 2017, I did a documentary photography in one of the most remote areas in Iceland, where I photographed the daily life of my family. The place is Galtarviti in Vestfjörður and the work is called Timelessness (2017). Also in the year 2017 I did a documentary project about a young girl with a rare disease called Alternating Hemiplegia of childhood, Living with a rare disease (2019). Her parents are desperate about her condition and their emotions visibly flow in the pictures. I was like a fly on the wall for almost three years photographing them behind closed doors but only a selected few could be in their lives. I was well aware when I started working on the photograpic projects in this master’s program that trust, carefulness, patience and good preparation are all equally important ingredients of good photographic work.
The primary aim with the photographic work I did during my studies was to help people develop the important skill of empathy - the ability to put themselves in the shoes of others - nurture their own empathy and through that their humanity. At the same time, the aim was to spark hope among those who have stories similar to my subjects and want to break free from the clutches of helplessness. By telling personal stories, I thus want to spark hope in people who are struggling in life and at the same time give back something positive to society. Stories that at first sight seem full of ugliness can indeed convey great beauty and foster empathy.
Because of interest in teaching photography, I also developed and taught a photographic workshop the aim of which was to help people interested in photography appreciate the potential of the art form, particularly in telling real stories
I will first be telling the story about the search of the family of a 11-year-old boy who has an incurable disease for a treatment, I intended to take photographs only, but the work then developed into video recordings. The idea was to make a short documentary about the injustice the young boy faces when when denied experimental treatment in his home country Iceland and his family's search for a drug treatment that could help slow down the disease. During this time, the family goes through a roller coaster of emotions, constantly alternating between hope and disappointment. I took documentary photos and videos of the family and followed them in their daily life, both in good and bad times.
In the second story I tell about an ordinary woman who has suffered great injustice in life, been subject to violence and beatings from early childhood and battled cancer. In my photograhs I lend the woman a voice to tell her story of the traumas she has suffered since childhood and in her adult life. I took photographs which I then developed into a video so that the photographic work was both a flow and a whole with a musical composition underneath.
In order to create photographic work from these stories, I had to start gaining the trust of the people who are the subjects of my stories. I also had show them patience and respect throughout the work process. Once I had gained their trust and they were ready to share their life experiences, there was an opening. They started talking openly with me without any inhibition and their life stories flow out just like water. I mad sure they got enough space (time) and freedom to tell their stories.
I felt very empowered telling theses stories just as I have felt in my artistic career as a photographer in recent years. In 2017, I did a documentary photography in one of the most remote areas in Iceland, where I photographed the daily life of my family. The place is Galtarviti in Vestfjörður and the work is called Timelessness (2017). Also in the year 2017 I did a documentary project about a young girl with a rare disease called Alternating Hemiplegia of childhood, Living with a rare disease (2019). Her parents are desperate about her condition and their emotions visibly flow in the pictures. I was like a fly on the wall for almost three years photographing them behind closed doors but only a selected few could be in their lives. I was well aware when I started working on the photograpic projects in this master’s program that trust, carefulness, patience and good preparation are all equally important ingredients of good photographic work.
The primary aim with the photographic work I did during my studies was to help people develop the important skill of empathy - the ability to put themselves in the shoes of others - nurture their own empathy and through that their humanity. At the same time, the aim was to spark hope among those who have stories similar to my subjects and want to break free from the clutches of helplessness. By telling personal stories, I thus want to spark hope in people who are struggling in life and at the same time give back something positive to society. Stories that at first sight seem full of ugliness can indeed convey great beauty and foster empathy.
Because of interest in teaching photography, I also developed and taught a photographic workshop the aim of which was to help people interested in photography appreciate the potential of the art form, particularly in telling real stories