The Deep River

P R E S E N C E O F

A B S E N C E

\ 2021 -

Presence of Absence is a mixed-media documentary art work about loss, memory and renewal. I explore manifestations of loss in uncanny entanglements between human and non-human entities through unstable temporalities of photography and film. I utilise empathetic listening and silence through a framework of documentary encounters - challenging and extending temporal and epistemological boundaries by recalling emotional truths and ineffable experiences.

Supported by the Finnish Cultural Foundation, participants include Finnish and Sámi artists, photographers, teachers, reindeer herders, doctors, farmers, academics and film makers. Their recurring memories of loss are snagged on experiences of domestic murder, suicide, fatal illness, addiction, mental illness and the unforgiving terrain of Lapland. Outputs include a film, three books and a photography exhibition.