{"id":5175,"date":"2019-11-22T02:20:59","date_gmt":"2019-11-22T02:20:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/yumstudio.com.au\/?p=5175"},"modified":"2022-05-05T14:52:13","modified_gmt":"2022-05-05T04:52:13","slug":"i-freaked-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yumcreative.yumstudio.com.au\/i-freaked-out\/","title":{"rendered":"I freaked out!"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n
I freaked out!<\/p>\r\n
Totally! freaked out! The last Ballarat International Foto Biennale (BIFB) commissioned me to create a series of street portraits. I said yes, of course.<\/p>\r\n
Then I freaked out!<\/p>\r\n
This was so far out of any zone I’d usually create still images in. I would usually develop a concept, create elaborate sets, divine costumes and banks of lights. Sourcing fabulously wild locations, sensing what it could be once I’ve seen in, been in it. The talent is given a back story to work from, props, ideas and directions. Completely over the top!<\/p>\r\n
The Biennale was asking me to go plain vanilla, I thought. Let the people tell their story. In the street, their homes, their Wendouree. I decided a theme of place sharing and identity would work for these people to share their place with us.<\/p>\r\n
We all understand the concept of place and its relationship to who we are. We all come from a place,\u00a0exist in a place, share our place. We all have a place we make our own. It may be on the street, in public places or within our homes. We create space for people and\u00a0welcome them into that space. But we don\u2019t often talk about how we share that place.<\/p>\r\n
Portraiture is difficult to create, even harder to sell. The portraiture I\u2019d been creating were for series, where the portraits together tell a story. I work hard to create a relationship of trust with the ‘sitter’*. It seemed to me it was a question of trust with these street portraits. How was I going to do that if I didn\u2019t have time to talk, sit, talk some more?<\/p>\r\n
I wanted to use miniatures. Miniatures reflect a delight of objects small yet speak so loudly about who we are. I wanted each subject to choose a miniature that whispered to them of culture, work, comfort or creative expression. A tiny object that amplifies their place in the world. Each choice expressing how they share themselves in their world, and with other people.<\/p>\r\n
I’d said yes though, so I had to find a way. And my way was by creating a system to support the early building of trust.<\/p>\r\n
I grabbed my beautiful friend, and textile artist Heather Horrocks and created an experiment. I wrote a \u2018hello you don\u2019t know me, but I want to shoot you\u2019 script and tested it out on her. Below is the first transcript.<\/p>\r\n
That play acting, and Heather\u2019s generosity, gave me a way forward. Here\u2019s the process we decided was best:<\/p>\r\n
Such beautiful images resulted in a heartfelt exhibition of joyful welcome from the people of Wendouree. I filmed and photographed at a number of locations and some private homes. People made me feel very welcome as they shared their heartfelt responses.<\/p>\r\n
I\u2019m indebted to the valuable support knowledge and wisdom of Heather whose image was part of the exhibition.<\/p>\r\n
Erin and heather interview notation.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n E:<\/em><\/strong> What do you offer people that come into your home?<\/em><\/p>\r\n H:<\/em><\/strong> Probably a cup of tea. But I don\u2019t really have people in my home because I\u2019m a mess-merchant.<\/em><\/p>\r\n I think I greet them with shit really\u2026<\/em><\/p>\r\n I greet people with \u2018Stuff\u2019 \u2013 The art, crochet hooks and pencils. I feel home as long as I have those things.<\/em><\/p>\r\n E:<\/em><\/strong> For a lot of people, they don\u2019t have home or a places they can take people, so in light of that where are some of the places you\u2019d take people who were visiting to say \u201cthis is my Wendouree\u201d<\/em><\/p>\r\n H:<\/em><\/strong> I\u2019d say the Pompey house at the lake, and we\u2019re very proud of the fact that we have a view of Mt Rowan.<\/em><\/p>\r\n I do love the old colonists\u2019 homes in Gillies street.<\/em><\/p>\r\n E:<\/em><\/strong> When you leave and come home to Wendouree, are there places that you look at and think \u201cOh I\u2019m home\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\r\n H:<\/em><\/strong> Well because I live in a prominent monument, it\u2019s a joy to think that I live in an old monastery.<\/em><\/p>\r\n Although I\u2019m not religious, there are some contested feelings about it.<\/em><\/p>\r\n Thank you to Maddy and Fiona from the BIFB for such a fabulously challenging commission. And thank you too to Regional Arts Victoria for your support.<\/p>\r\n The photographs are accompanied by a short film available online by scanning the QR code below. Thank you to musical duo \u2018Dead Salemen\u2019 for permission to use their track \u2018Wendouree\u2019. Thank you to Rex Hardware for permission to use the recording. Find it below.<\/p>\r\n And thank you all for coming and viewing the exhibition Hello Foto.<\/p>\r\n *sitter: the big hearted people who collaborate with me to create portrait, and who are never usually sitting.<\/p>\r\n