Chunks of Soul
Experimental Portrait Photography Project. Turning the crystal clear perfection of the matrix into a multiple layer imperfect portrait. To examine one's identity, one must place personal image and public persona side by side. What often appears, is a fragmented non-self. An imperfect portrait teetering between how we wish to portray ourselves and what we really are. 'Chunks of Soul' portrays this constant identity power-struggle. A commentary of our imperfect images in the digital era. The pictures are made through a box containing slides of broken glass - a material difficult to control. Reflections and refractions of multiple slivers bend worlds whilst shadows and light compete. The result is vanishing faces and intriguing juxtapositions. In the age of the 'selfie,' one has the primal urge to control one's image. To create a persona that is accepted in society. When dealing with multiple multiple reflections - multiple reflections place subjects in a position of vulnerability. The result are glimpses of uncontrolled identity. All subjects in 'Chunks of Soul' have an unclear certainty of their soul or the public representation of them in society. With an out of focus identity, participants are still searching for their place in the world. Not comfortable with describing themselves as a unique, solid, one-single-word portrait, but rather, wondering and exploring their personalities. Despite the diverse backgrounds of participants, those who are subject in 'Chucks of soul' all have a certain identity discomfort in common. They are searching for their place in the world, not comfortable with describing themselves as ‘unique,’ ‘solid’ or ‘special.’ In some cases, they have sought to protect themselves with tattoos, or masks - but they all acknowledge their imperfections and that the dreams of humans are fickle and changing. Other than colour correction, all pictures are digital, single shot with no further manipulation is applied. The project is the second part of the Entropic Series, a project started with DEAF* (taub - sordo) that will end with a new series of portraits in late 2017. The trilogy is centered on the idea of entropy and its reflection on us, on the analysis of self relation. *DEAF explores the reactions that come with exploring a new environment, a submarine, claustrophobic reality is unpredictable.