Confession
‘trauma, it might be said, is a ghost… to read trauma is to register the sign of a secondary experience and recognition of the return of something spectral in the form of a trace or sign signifying, but not representing directly, that something, having occurred, has left its mark, and inscription of sorts on the subject’s unconscious, and one that, moreover, can and does return repeatedly, through never as the experience as such’ (Wolfreys, 2004)
As an artist who grew up in a dysfunctional family, the idea of an 'ideal home' or 'ideal family' has always been a question. The experience cast the shadow even in her adulthood. This could be considered as self-therapy to overcome and raise the voice as one of those children to question the idea of family and the girl's role within the society.
Simon Baker argued that ‘we experience photographs in relation to memory.’(Baker,pp38) In order to confront with one’s trauma, I believe that photography is the ideal medium to deal with such issue.
Here the artist photographs doll houses and doll house furniture which represent the idealized home or family. Some images are of failed fragments from the domestic home environment, accompanied by images of actual girl’s dresses some of which have loose threads or stains or faded colors. The photographs capture the objects which contribute to the construction of the ideal family or home in both the real and imaginary worlds. Also project the expectation of girls role within society. However, the images become the typography of the failure of these ideals, and illustrate the discomfort that arises within society. The images are aimed to evoke the idea of home or family.
Wolfrevs, J, 2004, Occasional Deconstructions, New York, State Univ of New York Pr, pp170
Exhibition catalogue
Edited by Fleury,P 2015, Salt & Silver: Early Photography 1840-1860, 25th February- 7th June,
2015.London:Tate Britain, pp 28, 38
