PORTRAITS

My work is fueled by introspection as I explore the essential question: What lies beneath the surface? I aim to bring the decades of stories, experiences, and, most importantly, life lived to the surface through my photos. The naked eye is often incapable of this analysis; photography, however, serves as a tool to aid the eye in its discovery. When we sleep, we enter the subconscious. Our mind can finally rest, and the troves of the subconscious can shine. Subsequently, dreams are a product of our subconscious. As illuminating and whimsical dreams are, they also possess a chilling effect: a dream can become a horror in a split second. The scariest part of it all is that dreams are completely out of your control. Each night, I am forced to let go and submit to my dreams, forgoing all agency over my mind. With this exhibition, I intend to explore what makes my skin crawl, the loss of control, through the function of dreams. I began my journey as a photographer especially interested in capturing people. I explored portraiture of the self, demanding intense self-reflection, as well as portraiture of others, where developing meaningful relationships with the subject was essential in producing an image embedded with meaning. As I returned to this subject matter, I shifted my focus away from the face and toward other objects and body parts that act as pearls of identity. To explore the facets of dreams, an exploration of the self was essential. You too are invited to this exploration of the self. Alongside Amelia Hines, I hope this exhibit will offer an opportunity to dive inward, into the whimsical, nightmarish, and everything in between. Let go of your control and let your mind wander. 

Jordanna Boxer Wachler