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This project was created as an insight into the sensory overload experience. It responds to the rest of society sharing in a collective and intensive sensory overload when exiting lockdown and re-entering social environments. Throughout lockdown, people have experienced a form of sensory deprivation to outside stimuli; this has a lasting mental effect as we re-learn what sounds, smells, and visuals are outside of our current restrictions. A minuscule period that will have a lasting impact on individual futures and future generations, becoming a permanent mark on global history. ‘A Journey through the Age of Isolation’.
Images are created using photography, sound and information. Creating the perspective of the natural landscape reclaiming the urban city. With the ‘natural’ as a symbol for the sensory deprivation of lockdown and a city in limbo that’s become a non-space but is returning to a functioning state. When life reverts to how it once was, it is essential to remember the events that took place and their impact. For most, life will return to normal. But for all, normal is not that simple, and not everything is accessible to everyone. What is viewed as the everyday sensory experience for most is not the case for everyone. The inspiration behind this work stems from a combination of lockdown, confinement to a space, and sensory deprivation that accompanies it. My own neurodiverse background, where everyday sensory experiences can be disorientating, also played a significant role. These social environments that have no effect on most are not the same for all, and since transitioning away from confinement, people have been able to experience these overwhelming sensory aspects that affect day-to-day life, particularly for neurodiverse individuals.
My artistic process begins with photography, usually for specific projects or reasons. However, due to the unique circumstances of the lockdown, I had to adapt my approach. For this project, I delved into my archive of photographs taken over the years, using them as a foundation to create something entirely new. The work is a fusion of sound, archival photographs, information, and documents, all centred around the themes of lockdown and neurodiversity. These elements are then transformed back into images. This process involves a level of control that is relinquished: the outcome is not visible until the process is completed. I decide what goes in, not what comes out, inviting you to join me on this artistic journey.
