In Twenty-Two Exposures, I consider what it is to return to a home town after failing to make one’s mark in a larger city and grappling with a failed polyamorous relationship. What it means to be a writer and photographer who is lured by light and shadow, opting to shoot motion and monotone rather than the oft-lauded “trees and sunsets” and maintain this creative force whilst being treated for an anxiety disorder, searching for a way to articulate the chaos, confusion and questioning into a series of my own propositions in order to answer the questions – is returning home a form of failure? And how do I reconcile this decision with my artistic vision?
Turning to two street photographers who are known for their raw, rebellious style: Daido Moriyama and Robert Frank, I juxtapose their insights against my own line of questioning, reflecting upon the chasm between chaos and perfection and the vitality of being immersed in the real versus the created, mirroring the self-reflexiveness of the included propositions.
Twenty-Two Exposures incorporates images and techniques that not only depict the work’s geographical setting, but also illustrates its fragmentary and frenetic nature through a series of jump-cuts, transitions and overlays.
Through an examination of the poetic documentary form and its engagement with philosophy, art and human experience (in particular heartbreak and grief), Twenty-Two Exposures is a multi-modal exploration of self-worth, creative authenticity and the quest for perfection.Director
Erica is a writer, editor and photographer from Brisbane, Australia. Inspired by contemporary feminist writers, her work deconstructs and challenges traditional storytelling genres and narratives. In 2019 she was awarded the Deakin University Scholarship for Excellence, completing her Masters of Arts in Writing & Literature from Deakin with a focus on creative nonfiction. Her work has been featured in a range of online publications and anthologies.
She is an accidental poet and a serial playlist creator and is currently working on her first memoir.