FRAGILITIES I
Giclée Print mounted onto dibond, 2005
1m x 1.5m x 2cm,
Original Sold, private collection
Limited Edition Print available
“Throughout history people of all cultures have assumed that environment influences behaviour. Now, modern science is confirming that our actions, thoughts and feeling are indeed shaped not just by our genes and neurochemistry, history and relationships, but also by our surroundings.”
Winifred Gallagher – The Power of Place
Fragilities is a new series of work by Louise Cherry of staged portraits exploring the relationship between people and the urban environment. The backdrop is the harsh landscape of Dublin city: the rundown forgotten corners, the graceful columns of the past and the sparse, unforgiving newly developed spaces. For the portraits the artist has chosen to challenge traditional documentary photography in favour of staged images, using actors to reconstruct real situations, thus the photographs create fictional scenes, which at first glance seem real.
The series came about as a result of the artist being confined to bed for over a year due to illness. When she stepped back out into the city once more, she was struck by how difficult and challenging a living space the city is and how hard it is for human beings to exist in this unnatural environment. This territory of controlled public spaces impacts on how people live and cope with their lives. Increasingly we need to look outward, not inward for insights into human behaviour.
‘Fragilities’ was shot with a large format camera and the final prints are 48” x 36” in size and presented in a 4” silver frame. Fragilities 2005