We are concluding this series of posts relating to the graduating class from the BA in Photographic Media in Griffith College. The full body of work is now live at creative.griffith.ie and in a limited-edition box set, which includes one beautifully produced zine by each photographer, serving as a memento of their photographic practice. We have one of these for you, also. All you need to do is tell us your favourite photographer from the series and mail us at competitions@totallydublin.ie We will notify the lucky winner next week.
In this post, we are looking at the work of Juliana Falanghe, Hoàng Duong, Corinna Nolan and Conor O’Rourke.
@griffithcollegephoto #theboxset #griffithcollegephotography
The Exotics by Juliana Falanghe
Artist statement: “How far can they go? From South America to Ireland, some must leave in an unripe state, some would be lost along the way, some are too delicate to leave. They come from different origins, merging into an unknown land. The exotics have different backgrounds, different meanings to be where they are, the journey that they follow is their own.
The Exotics is an ongoing project, working with imported fruit and vegetables Juliana explores the concept of being a foreigner in the land. The starting point of the series was based on the photographer’s journey from São Paulo Brazil to Dublin, Ireland. As the project has evolved, it has become less about the artist herself and more about the experience of being an outsider.”
Duyên by Hoàng Duong
Artist statement: “Drawing on my Vietnamese heritage, and as an individual living in Europe, this body of work engages with the theme of cultural identity. It explores memory and nostalgia and reflects on how a culture and country of origin have a pervasive and continued influence on personality and aesthetic. This is a journey on perspective. Now as an outsider, I can reconnect with my own culture with a renewed sense of celebration.
Devised in a studio setting and adopting the techniques and characteristics of fashion photography, my subjects choose objects, attire and poses that stem from Vietnamese heritage. Specific colour configurations approaches engage with the complexities of the past and acknowledge that forgetting one’s heritage is implausible, despite new beginnings that have evolved elsewhere.
In Vietnamese, the word ‘duyên’ is used casually in everyday conversations as an affirmation. Its true authentic meaning is often overlooked but literally translated it means ‘tied by fate’. When I think of my journey that led me to making this work, a lesson of appreciation of my own heritage, I am reminded simply of the word ‘duyên.’”
Rituals by Corinna Nolan
Artist statement: “For those who take to the sea on daily swimming rituals, a common narrative often prevails. For me, much like others, it has become a daily practice, a time to reflect, a time to heal and a time to reset. Rituals is derived from a personal experience and a deep-rooted connection to the sea. From morning swimmers to evening dippers this work records a unique ceremony. In this work a community of swimmers are bound together in mutual agreement of the sea as a powerful catalyst for healing and restoration. This body of work acknowledges the force of oceanic elements as empowering, a place that provides swimmers with an unique way to withstand the differences and challenges of everyday life.”
Out of Place by Conor O’Rourke
Artist statement: “Landscape and the great outdoors can be enticing and appealing for all to explore. While outdoor leisure pursuits have a positive impact on our general wellbeing, we don’t always have the same influence on our surrounding countryside directly or indirectly. This project reflects on human connections to nature and the relationship to the outdoor spaces that they temporarily occupy. In the series, people are seen cutting through the landscape in ways at odds with the spaces they inhabit. As these figures move through the landscape, harmony is replaced by a sense of disconnect and individuals appear strangely out of place.”
