| This series is an exploration of sisterhood. This is perhaps one of the most complexly human relationships, that is often overlooked. Sisterhood is, of course, a lifetime relationship. These photographs however, by their nature, are of a moment in time. This is true in their creation as well as their result. I wanted to strike the balance between expressing their collectivity and individuality, the images sitting somewhere between snapshots and more formal portraits typically seen of families. There are many elements at play – familiarity, trust, competition, love, and understanding. And in each set all or most of these have been present but in varying degrees and with different emphases. The fact that they come from the same home, are usually born in the same era, same gender and spend a lifetime developing together makes it a fascinating and unusual example of human development and dynamics. This project began from reflecting on my own relationship with my sister. Over a number of years I had felt a pressure to conform and have a kind of relationship that, for so many reasons didn’t come naturally. I wanted to question and explore this through the eyes of other sisters. So I don’t know that I found all the answers, but I began to realise that its a relationship like no other and more often than not taken for granted and overlooked. Despite most sisters here being relatively close, they open up that even for them it’s not without its flaws. However each endures, a continual presence, a shared anchor point and the last place they can turn. |
