Presque Oublié 2015-2026

 

 

From a very young age, I have memories of spending my days, always alone, dreaming of being in fairytales and having a yearning to live in more romantic, idyllic settings. I longed to find that universe where I could escape from my difficult life, and it was in places that held stories of an ancient past that I found peace, solace, and beauty there and within myself. Coming from the United States where these places didn’t really exist, I learned that I could reach many of them in France once I moved here in 2015.

 

After spending more than a decade traipsing around in long dresses reminiscent of women in Pre-Raphaelite paintings, I have created this series which is more than a collection of pretty pictures. These photos not only show some history of these places where I posed but act as souvenirs – almost like snapshots from vacations, proof that I made it there when some were physically difficult for me to reach - the proof, mainly to myself , that determination and resilience was evident despite my aging body and my poor mental state. Universally, I believe that in this moment of our lives, when the world is in a complicated, dangerous, and precarious place, it is necessary for us to find and remember the beauty, love, magic and wonder that still exis­t around us. I have found it within these places, my realm, documented to never be forgotten.