laurendawson

Through my work I wish to express the familiar feelings of vulnerability and insecurity felt by women when alone in an urban area – especially at night. I began by documenting my own feelings of anxiety through photography, by going into the urban environment and capturing images of deserted streets, car parks, dark alleyways and underground tunnels.

I then projected these urban photographs onto a female figure. The projections created a physical space which merged the female figure with the imagery. The light and shadows from the photographs highlight and conceal certain areas of the figure, which is almost reflective of the sense of anonymity felt when alone in an urban area. The female form seems to become more fragile when only certain areas of the figure can be seen. It is a breaking down of the figure which contrasts to the harsh environment, one which could be seen as masculine in nature. There is also an abstract relation between the female figure and the structure of the urban environment particularly when the figure has become blurred through movement.

In some of the photographs, torn paper was used to cover different areas of the body. Smaller pieces of paper would only cover certain areas of the figure, whereas large sheets could be used to conceal the figure, leaving only a hand or leg visible. The paper was then taken away again, almost reflective of stripping the female figure which reiterates the feelings of vulnerability and insecurity.