"My focus in on building community through shared photographic experiences; participation is key." - Marysa Dowling
Today, as part of our Exhibition and Professional Practice Module, we had the amazing opportunity to meet (virtually) photographer Marysa Dowling hear her share an insight into her photographic practice. It was interesting to see some of the projects she has worked on and to be able to hear some of the processes behind the work from the artist herself.
An aspect of the way in which she makes work which I found really interesting, is how she explores the ways people co-exist and interact on a cultural level on a global scale, forming a body of work which exists around communities and societies around the world. She works collaboratively with her subjects, giving them quite a lot of control over their image and this aids in nurturing the long term connections she builds up with the people she photographs and helps her to remain in contact.
I particularly liked the project 'Blue Bag' which she introduced us to. It is an international project built on the simple construct of giving her subjects a blue plastic bag which they use in a performative way of their choosing in front of the camera, the subject then passes the blue bag to someone they know and it is this knock on effect which allows Dowling to connect with communities on a vast scale.
