Shana York

BFA Photography

Many people take a great pride in having both parents growing up. When they lose a parent, they become devastated and lost on what to do. But they do not show the raw emotions they are feeling. They put up this wall around them to shield themselves from everyone. I went through this traumatic event and my work stems from this experience. I talk about what people do not want to talk about i.e. depression and anxiety. For some reason these are taboo subjects that need to be talked about more. It is the unseen and psychological aspect that is what needs to be seen and heard. The process of making my work is what helps me cope with the experience of losing my father at a young age. I work with photography and experimenting with the limits of what I can do because the process of photography of capturing images and making the images in the darkroom is a coping mechanism that allows me to relieve the pain. It is the process that is more important to me, not the result but the result is what the audience sees and let my voice be heard.