Coronavirus – 1st of April 2020

Coronavirus Update – 1st of April 2020

At the moment reshoots are not possible due to the Coronavirus outbreak and subsequent countrywide lockdown. I was also thinking about using pressed or preserved plants or flowers from the actual site but again this may not be possible anymore. Even if they ease the lockdown, whilst the virus is still circulating, I cannot risk going out. I am classed as high risk and am under the 12 week shielding, I live with someone else who is classed as high risk, and also my grandfather, who I care for has motor neurone disease and is classed as very high risk. So for me, it is defiantly not possible or worth the risk. No one knew this virus was coming, how fast it would spread or how bad it can be for some people. This has changed many things I had hoped to experiment with and ideas I would have liked to try out. But there is simply nothing that can be done at the moment, we just have to get on with it as best we can. I can however rethink how I am going to proceed and still experiment at home.  

I have been thinking of other elements that I can incorporate in my work, and how I can progress within the limitations. As really this has completely changed my original aim. I thought about using maps in my work earlier, this is something I can still do, so I am thinking of how to incorporate them into my work. Text maybe an option, I did originally think of keeping with the religious theme and using quotes from the bible, again this is something I can do from home. 

An idea that came to be at about 3am was, could I incorporate my version of a ‘strong’ women to contrast with the dominance of men in my main image. I was thinking about strong women, and who is an inspiration and a strong women to me. What does it mean to me? I could list several female figures that I feel are strong, but it doesn’t really relate to anything and am struggling to think how I could incorporate them. But if I think about it, the women in my family are what I would call strong. My family, my past and my ancestors; it’s their blood that runs in my veins, they have contributed to me. This go the thinking could I contrast my main images of the male pilgrimages which I am seeing as a women from the outside, and not allowed in, with my thought of strong women. The women in my families are in my blood, and have followed me this journey, this spiritual journey. They have made me who I am and to me they are the essence of strong. They may not have been famous, they may not have had much money, they may not be ‘heroes’ but they are everything to me. Without them, I wouldn’t be here or be me. So whilst I follow this historical route designed and undertaken by men, I can too look into my history at the women who have led to me: my journey. I would be using my own archive of images and can experiment with how I can incorporate them and see what I can come up with.