“Heal is a photographic series celebrating the strength of women healing after life-changing trauma. The sitters tell deeply personal stories with universal resonance – sharing experiences of domestic violence, separation, illness, disability, and loss, but also of resolve, belief, and human connection. Each of the eleven portraits depicts a woman with eyes closed, holding her breath in a moment of stillness that speaks both of vulnerability and resilience.
Artist Lynn Weddle says, “The women who collaborated with me for this project were unknown to each other, but their images have come together to form a metaphoric collective of hope and strength. I’m honoured the project has become part of their healing journey.”
The exhibition has been supported with funding from Arts Council England.
About Lynn Weddle
Artist and educator, Lynn Weddle, is concerned with human interaction and exploring ways of presenting ourselves through photographic portraiture. The therapeutic benefits of her collaborative creative process are integral to her vision as an artist. She is committed to the power of art and conversation to allow us to learn and understand more about ourselves, others, and our environment. Lynn has designed and conducted participatory art and photography workshops since 2003 and completed residencies and commissions in partnership with the British Museum, Tate Modern, Photovoice, Focal Point Gallery, English Heritage, Four Corners, HIV Alliance, Save the Children and Pallant House Gallery. Her work has been published in The Sunday Telegraph and The Guardian.”
– Excerpts from Phoenix Art Space
When I was asked if I was interested in taking part in this project, I really had to take a few days to mull it over. I was at a point in my life where I was going through life changing moments, some very difficult life changing moments, and I wasn’t sure if I was ready to be vulnerable with it. Even talking about it now I feel coy… I was going through a divorce, my best friend had just started making a family, and I was in a situation where that idea was getting further and further away from my immediate future.
I decided this would be cathartic, cleansing. I had always felt I was very open about who I was and where I had come from, maybe not so much in my art, but with the people around me in person. I thought I could use this creative practice and project to wipe the slate clean of the emotional abuse I had endured in the time I was in this relationship. It had come to an end, I was out the other side, I was still experiencing it; in that my memories and my current thinking was shinning a light on parts that were darker than what I thought they were when I was in the relationship – but that’s what abuse does doesn’t it, you give reasoning to a persons behaviour because your judgement is clouded by the idea of love.
Going to the shoot, I dressed militant, I dressed incognito, I dressed with a shiny surface, I guess this is always how I prefer to be perceived, it’s my coat of arms, my defence mechanism. Following the shoot I was asked to answer a handful of questions, defining my story and what it meant to be. “What gives you inner strength?” “What has supported you through the darkest of times?” “Why have you wanted to be part of the project?” “What is it that you would like to share with others facing life challenges?”. I tried not to think about the answers too hard, I tried to be open and to be honest. I didn’t think about it twice until it came to the private viewing with every participants pictures and their own answers were displayed in a book. I’m going to show you my answers here, and then I’m going to talk about them.
“START
What gives you inner strength?
True inner strength is a thing of being the ruler of your own destiny and being able to turn even your childhood dreams into reality. It is something that helps me believe in myself and become anything that I set my mind to. The only person that can get in my way is me. It nurtures my passion for creativity and courage to express myself. It can give so much power to some many aspects of one’s self and what one wants in their life, however big or small.
What has supported you through the darkest of times?
Having people around you that love you, like true love, warts and all, people that can see your dreams as clearly as you and want nothing more than to be there to be your biggest cheerleaders. Building a community around you of like-minded people is really important, to remind you of what’s special about you, the reason why they love you are the reasons why you love you. It shines a light on your positive parts and gives you the space to work on being better.
Why have you wanted to be part of the project?
I think as a creative myself I have always created a platform for many other voices and stories, Being a voice for the people doesn’t always allow me to “be a human”, and having a space to share my ups and downs and inner strengths and demons, this is a beautiful opportunity to be part of.
What is it that you would like to share with others facing life challenges?
I think the most important thing is to, listen to your gut, we are sometimes quicker to put other people first, but you have to listen to that inner self. Show love and respect for yourself. As long as you are not putting anyone’s emotions in harm’s way. It is beautiful and pivotal that … you do you.
END”
Now it wasn’t until I came back to my answers, and read others who were also photographed for the project, that I realised how guarded and – almost – cryptic my answers were. They read like they were rehearsed or copied and pasted from a word doc where I store all my generic answers. I was disappointed in myself, this wasn’t the me that I knew, this was someone who had let professionalism seep into their personal life because art is everything to me. I failed to go deeper for the love of the craft, for the passion, and most importantly, for the growth. how could I call myself an artist when I am not allowing true self expression.
I went through something traumatic, but I have too much pride to admit it. After the chaos I was born into and the difficulties I had growing up, I never wanted to be seen as a poor-woe-me-you-have-to-help-me-because-I-had-it-hard kinda person. I always wanted to show and prove that you can better yourself no matter what life has served you. And you can make it if you are focused on your future and not busying yourself looking back. But the past will catch up with you, and it’s so much harder to look back if your neck is stiff from lack of movement.
I think, in all honesty, I also find it hard to cast judgement because I worry I have made mistakes that I’m unaware of yet, for lack of experience or self awareness, either way, I’m not one to cast the first stone, but there’s a thin line of giving yourself time to digest and reflect, and not giving yourself any form of empathy at all. I don’t ever want to be the one to badmouth people from my past or people who I have loved and have been let down by, everyone has their reasons, and even a lack of a reason can be reason enough, but I do need to make sure I love myself first and continue to pursue kindness and putting myself first.
If I were to answers those questions again, it would be very different, I don’t think there’s much point now because how I answered them has given me great self reflection and made me want to write this blog. But what I would like to take from this and go forwards with is, to practice more vulnerability with my creativity and remember to be kind to myself.
It would be great to hear what you think and what your answers might be for one, two or all of the questions, there is a comment box below this blog, care to share and practice vulnerability with me?
Jade Hylton 