Uma Manasseh. Explores the twilight zone between life and death, inspired by visits to my grandparents in their nursing home.
My photographic study explores the twilight zone between life and death. This project was inspired by visits to my grandparents in their nursing home. Over six months, I watched my grandmother as she rapidly declined from someone cognitive and independent to bedridden, trapped within the fractured mind of dementia. This was confronting and brought forth many questions.
How does the loss of memory, fragmentation of thoughts and physical disintegration affect one’s relationship with self, the world, freedom and the concept of time? This topic is one many fear or turn from, yet it is a universal human experience I believe needs to be better understood.
The importance of human connection is emphasised through my work. As materialistic and self-absorbed ideas fade away, it is love within relationships that holds value. This is a time of both terror and beauty. The use of unstaged photography and sound recordings me to portray a raw reality. By incorporating others from the home as well as objects that I felt held meaning I feel that my work emphasised the universal nature of this subject matter. The recordings of my great aunt Sybil and grandmother Teela give insight into a world otherwise unattainable.
Australia's world-leading photography festival once again filters photography down to its finest. The great thing is that Head On's main venues at Bondi and Paddington are just a bus ride away.
Enthralling. Enchanting. Extraordinary. Discover exceptional photography for free around Sydney during the festival 8 Nov–1 Dec 2024
