Self-portrait photography has a performative nature, of embodying personas or emotions for the camera. Photo creates a false reality, a space that exists and doesn’t at the same time. This was a process of expulsion, an exorcism of emotion, left in the trace of an image. In these self-portraits, long exposures and movement are used to express the unseen and invisible trauma and grief we carry with us. Double exposure with images of barren Alberta winter landscapes is explored to further dislocate the figure and symbolize a mental state. The body and nature in continuous cycles. The cycle of life and death. The cycles of grief.

These self-portraits represent a personal exploration and exorcism of my own grief and mental anguish. Reflecting upon these states and experiences that have led to where I am today, I can embody and release what I normally hold back. The camera acts as a witness, capturing fragments of these performative rituals. Diving into the past and holding onto these moments. Revealing the unseen and uncomfortable.