Mood is embedded within all of us. Our struggles hide in the recesses of our minds, we perhaps do not think consciously about them but think subconsciously when questioning them. Sometimes we cannot comprehend these thoughts of loss, dismay and other feelings alike nor can we accept them.

​

This work focuses on the staged; emphasizing expression of ones thoughts, stranded within the contours of time, yet giving stillness and significance to the underlying emotions embedded within the image by the means of carefully placed objects to uphold narrative.

​

Along with this staged narrative highlighted in this black and white image series, I have focused in on the ‘real’. I invite the viewer to look at a past event in the staged image which my father struggled through when losing his wife. I then offer reality via the moving image in the video (Shot in synchronization with the photo shoot). This video shows colour, something we see day to day which strengthens the aspects of reality and motion, which evidently can’t accurately be represented within any photographic image.

​

My father stays still akin to a statue when photographed, entwining those qualities of the photograph within the moving image but also playing on the crippling nature emotion has on the body and mind in terms of stillness.  It is important with this stillness and lack of movement to catch the viewer off guard with the slight movements within this video, from the blink of an eye to the slight move of the lips, head and fingers intended to show that the reflection is not merely a staged one but a very real one with impact to my father’s emotions, something we perhaps take for granted when looking at any image.

​

Within this small series of images I ask the viewer to empathize with the subject. I ask them to share a still moment to engage with emotion and its public uncomfortability, to share the awkwardness but ultimately he asks them to remember and forget.