BA, Art (Studio Arts – Photography & Imaging)

Artist Statement

Checking In

The COVID-19 Pandemic drastically changed the way students attended classes and socialized with one another at an alarmingly quick pace. It seemed as though one day we were huddled together at tables busily studying, and the next we were told that we not only couldn’t come back to campus, but we had to shelter in place for the remainder of the semester. Even photography itself had to adapt due to these unprecedented circumstances, and as a photographer, the challenge of not being able to be in the room to photograph your subject can seem insurmountable. But we live in an age when everyone has the means to project an image across wifi connections and 4G networks. With specific and careful guidance, a photographer can still capture the subtleties of expression through the lens of another person’s device. While adhering to social distancing guidelines, rather than physically going into the spaces of the individuals in this series I captured these portraits via Facetime. This series showcases a handful of individuals who have been uprooted from their normal lives and put in situations that are either completely new to them or childhood homes that they are returning to after years of living on their own. Now more than ever it is important for us to check up on one another. Even though we are in isolation, we are never alone.