shooting myself

with lines blurring between our virtual and our real personas, how much energy does it take to show ourselves the way we want to be seen? dare we attempt to live up to it in real life? as we look at the virtual personas of others, are we able to remember that they also delete many more images than they post. the parties we didn’t go to were not one continuous smile. the vacations we didn’t share were not 24/7 waves of positivity. and what about those we “see” mostly online? how do sent images and messages compare to shared physical experiences? distance and closeness seem oddly matched and yet we can reveal a side of ourselves we may not otherwise have the courage to. is that our real self or one induced by circumstance? can we be sure the intimacy is truly a shared experience? with each new image, are we killing ourselves and the people with whom we share them? video with sound piece made from the camera lens focus, sound from shooting images and text from private messages.

A typical window shopper leisurely walks through town. Along the way she is exposed some disturbing life lessons. How can people be so open and yet so closed? What good is it to have your eyes open if you aren’t willing to lend a helping hand? What if you are willing to commit sexually, but won’t let anyone in to your heart? Being able to talk is one thing, but having something to say is quite another.

Original music and sound by Maeshelle West-Davies

Body morph

Constantly being bombarded with images of “perfection” can lead some to take drastic measures to live up to the mould. The main problem is once you change one thing, it can become quite clear what should be changed next until nothing remains of the original. This becomes a type of fetish for some. What role does society play in their self-destruction? How many of us have read the tabloids, watched the documentaries? You may say you wouldn’t do it yourself, but….

collaboration between maeshelle west-davies, paulina semkowicz and lætitia gorsy

baggage

We are all affected and changed by what happens to us. Some can move past it. Others are not so lucky and repeat dangerous patterns. Even those who try to learn