Natasha Caruana
dal 7/7/2006 al 17/8/2006
Segnalato da
7/7/2006
Natasha Caruana
The Office, Huntington Beach
Facing East. Her work extends the practice of examining and preserving both cultural and social histories through an approach that often stems from personal experiences. Caruana produces work that pushes the boundaries of the documentary tradition of photography in a playful and imaginative way.
Facing East
Natasha Caruanais a London based visual artist who works essentially with
photography. Her work extends the practice of examining and preserving both cultural
and social histories through an approach that often stems from personal experiences.
Caruana produces work that pushes the boundaries of the documentary tradition of
photography in a playful and imaginative way, but at the same time, Caruanass
work explores new areas of the staged and performative nature of the photographic
image.
Facing East is the result of a project, originally commissioned by the British
Council, which brings together the imagery and experiences from a series of visits
to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, between 2005 and 2006. Caruana, in her visits to Jeddah,
was soon amazed by the disciplined dedication to religion practiced by Muslims; but,
especially, she was astonished by the fervour and devotion persevered by adolescent
girls. Everyday, from the first Morning Prayer at sunrise, those adolescent girls
devote themselves to religion in a repetitive cycle of five prayer times a day.
Caruana, as photography has been doing since its invention, uses her camera to
observe the others. But contrary to the colonialist mentality of
anthropological photography, she utilizes her images to look at the
others as a way of looking at ourselves. Caruanass work gives us the
opportunity to observe carefully how the others lives; and as a
consequence of that, we ought to be conscious of who we are, whilst willing to
explore our own and also otherss culture. To know otherss life involves
establishing a critic for our own life and doubting about our values. We must bear
in mind that the others forms a part of us and we, partly, are
the others too, and vice versa.
Caruana looks at the others as an individual, as a human being with a
different culture and traditions. That gaze makes us appreciate the
others as a person, it brings it closer and helps us to break the barriers
which separate us from the others. But at the same time, it gives us a
more comprehensive and complete vision of ourselves.
Reception for the Artist: Saturday, July 8, 6 to 9pm
The Office
An Art Space
5122 Bolsa Ave. Suite #110 - Huntington Beach
Hours, Tuesday - Friday, 1-5 p.m