Artist’s Statement: Who Am I Now?

I have worked over two years with patients of Swansea Bay University Health Board, whose lives have been significantly altered by a major life health event. The original project aim was to produce two portrait photographs with each subject. One that represented a self-image before the life event, and one that represented their current self-image. Then the Covid 19 pandemic happened.

I had just completed most of the second photos when we all went into lockdown. I myself was shielding and decided to pause the project to see what developed. A year later, I approached all the subjects and asked if they would be willing to help create a third photo. I felt that the pandemic was such a significant life event for us all; I had to include a third photo that responded to the change.

Each set of three photographs is presented as a triptych and explores the question “Who Am I Now?” The choices of content and composition were developed in creative co-operation with each portrait subject. This collaborative approach provided the opportunity to explore a multi-layered representation of self, conveying several concepts, whilst assimilating documentary and abstract approaches where appropriate.

Datganiad yr Artist: Pwy ydw i’n nawr?

Rwyf wedi gweithio dros ddwy flynedd gyda chleifion Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Bae Abertawe, y mae eu bywydau wedi cael eu newid yn sylweddol gan ddigwyddiad mawr yn eu bywyd yn ymwneud â’u hiechyd. Nod gwreiddiol y prosiect oedd cynhyrchu dau lun portread o bob gwrthrych. Un a oedd yn cynrychioli hunanddelwedd cyn y digwyddiad bywyd, ac un a oedd yn cynrychioli eu hunanddelwedd bresennol. Yna digwyddodd y pandemig Covid-19.

Roeddwn i newydd gwblhau’r rhan fwyaf o’r ail gasgliad o luniau pan aethon ni i gyd i’r cyfnod clo. Roeddwn i fy hun yn ymochel rhag y feirws ac fe wnes i benderfynu gohirio’r prosiect a gweld beth fyddai’n digwydd. Flwyddyn yn ddiweddarach, cysylltais â’r holl wrthrychau a gofynnais a fyddent yn fodlon helpu i greu trydydd llun. Roeddwn i’n teimlo bod y pandemig yn ddigwyddiad bywyd mor bwysig i ni i gyd; roedd yn rhaid i mi gynnwys trydydd llun a oedd yn ymateb i’r newid.

Cyflwynir pob set o dri llun fel triptych ac mae’n archwilio’r cwestiwn “Pwy Ydw i Nawr?” Datblygwyd y dewisiadau o ran cynnwys a chyfansoddiad mewn cydweithrediad creadigol â gwrthrych pob portread. Roedd y dull cydweithredol hwn yn gyfle i archwilio cynrychiolaeth aml-haenog o’r hunan, gan gyfleu sawl cysyniad, gan gymathu dulliau dogfennol a haniaethol lle roedd hynny’n briodol.

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