Mirrors

I once used mirrors in a project at university which asked us to use five items. I recall my tutors at the time, enthusiastically telling me “you will use mirrors again”. This always struck a chord with me because I had just found the five objects hanging around the house and the mirror did not hold any meaning to me. Over the years, I remembered this comment on occasion, wondering not if, but when it would happen and more importantly why.

Exploring my current research project into the life (and death) of Mary Rogers, I now find myself revisiting and recontexualising the mirror through the theory of the female gaze.

My research has finally come full circle, being taught by Emeritus Professor Griselda Pollock about feminism and the arts for my undergraduate degree where I first used a mirror in my practice, to revisiting and reconnecting to post-feminist theory over 20 years later.

I enjoyed putting this self-portrait together, experimenting with different mirrors and different locations in the home. The placement of personal objects which hold meaningful memories was a valuable addition to the importance of connecting with memories. Exploring the life of someone you never knew, asks you to take a closer look at your own life and find similarities in the liminal space which connects you to them, from your world to theirs, through truth and fiction.