We met a little early, but i get to love you longer

The portrait is of Gillianne, a young indigenous mother, with her son Djamahl, daughter Cienna and nephew Mikah. The image was taken after visiting her son’s grave for the one-year anniversary of his death. Lachlan (one of her twin boys) passed away at 11 days old from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). The image is from the series “We met a little early, but I get to love you longer” which is a collaboration with young mothers from Indigenous and/or disadvantaged backgrounds from my neighbourhood or local area. By investigating and individualising the complex range of issues that lead teen girls to early pregnancy and the challenges they face, the collaborations seek to show that each mother is different, and there is no “uniform” type. By listening and telling the stories of others, we come to understand that there are no stereotypes and we stand as individuals.