Rape survivor; my story in photographs
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am graduate Art Photographer in the UK. I thought your viewers and yourself may be interested in my conceptual photography, in which relates to feminism and art in in the contemporary and of course taking into consideration the history of feminism and also the different styles of photography I have used from digital, 35mm film and my most recent project medium format. My work is contemporary reflecting on todays society and the world we living affecting those going through or have been through violence. Donald Trump is an example of today and the world we live in, my images aim to express and confront my enemy and any male that sees a woman as an object or a piece of meat.
My projects each tell a story of an event which happened to me, I want to inspire women to go forward from rape and sexual violence.. their voices are important and need to be heard!
I attended court this year to get justice from when I was raped. Unfortunately I didn’t get the justice I wanted, it was the most difficult experience being made to feel like I’m the criminal when I am the victim. I stood up and made my voice be heard, no one should be silenced, I refused to be and still do. Others shouldn’t be silenced either, my photographs are to inspire others to go forward and the more exposure for this I think will help for survivors to move forward in their lives although didn’t get justice but they can say “I tried, I’m a survivor and activist”, and that for me is important.
My project; The Aftermath was my way of coping with the after effects of rape, each individual photograph reflects in detail what happened the night I was raped. Photographing and developing film was my way of beginning to heal, which lead on to my projects “Process” and "STOP", developing the negatives by stopping the process, the development stages define my healing process of the after effects of rape.
My final major project from this year which is named "You Should Take a Picture it Lasts Longer", the concept of this is me confronting the camera, based around the theme of the theory of 'The Male Gaze', inspired by the work of Sarah Lucas. My work is political in rights for women, I am continuing ongoing projects within this theme, and would love to share my style of work with you!
All of my work has been published into books through blurb http://www.blurb.co.uk/user/paigehawley. Also holding many exhibitions to reveal to other women that they are not alone and if I can document and expose my story, any one can do it!
My submission portfolio: www.paigemeganhawley-photography.com, The links: The Aftermath, Process, Stop- are all projects which interlink of the after effects, healing process, then returning to the scene making peace of a bad memory. My second project which I will submit is a link on my website called “Take A Picture it Lasts Longer; Political rights of women and a statement of todays society and the world we live in.
Thankyou for your consideration,
Paige Megan Hawley.
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