Date of Submission

Spring 2019

Academic Programs and Concentrations

Photography

Project Advisor 1

Tanya Marcuse

Abstract/Artist's Statement

A cool breeze travels up my arm as I let my body sink into the couch. The fan pointed in my direction muffles the surrounding noises, yet I can still hear the grandfather clock tick. I hear the back screen door of the house continuously open and close from the hot wind creeping in from the backyard. The front door opens and a bright beam of sunlight followed by a slap of heat hits my body. My father enters the door frame backlit and appears like an anonymous silhouette, but I know it’s him. He says something to me as he walks in that makes me laugh and takes a seat next to me on the couch. My mom pokes her head around the living room doorway and asks if we want some lemonade. We accept her offer and she joins us on the rocking chair as we all look out the window. I recall the three of us sharing this space, our home, and feeling frozen in time. I make myself appreciate this moment. I want to hold onto it forever, to never forget. My father starts to discuss his memories of when he and mom first bought our home. He tells me that the family that lived here before us had a child around my age. I think about this child sitting in the same spot as me. Did that child share a similar moment like this; do they remember a time sitting in the heat, letting the hot sunshine kiss their face as they share a glass of lemonade?

Come Closer is dear to me. Throughout the project, I’ve been accepted into the homes and private lives of my subjects. They allowed me to gently glimpse the intimacy of their homes. I believe that I have to hold myself responsible as a photographer to ensure my subjects feel safe, not intruded on, and make sure they get something out of the experience as well. A home is expected to be sacred; a place of comfort a family can reside in. To enter a stranger’s intimate space there must be an opportunity for trust or willing faith. I connected with my subjects to establish a harmonious relationship with communication, patience, and respect. Come Closer aims to capture the power and demeanor of fleeting moments in homes that I seek to honor.

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