Kelly J Smith Photography: November 2009

Genetic Make-up

Fashion is a vibrant creative and necessary part of society today. Everyone is unique, no-one the same. Fashion allows us the choice between who we are and who we want to be that day, the same way that make-up does, it works as a camouflage you could re-invent your style everyday if it pleased, customizing yourself to different situations and social groups.

This work explores the individual identity and also the relationship between three women within a family from three seperate generations, observing the similarities and differences between them and the effects both time cultural and social standards have affected their personal behaviour.

Inspired prominantley by my grandmother, having a fascination with all things 50's both fashion and lifestyle from a time heavily influenced by the events of the second world war, she plays the biggest role within the video as the dominant female, the start of the gene line.

The banal and continuos exercise of applying make-up every morning, is exclusively feminine, an activity shared thoughout the years and handed down from mothers to daughters. My moving image watches the subject within the mirror, a frame within a frame, allowing the subject to return the audiences gaze giving an insightful and intimate window into the lives and bond within a family.

The question this project asks is do we follow the lead of those who have raised us, copying characteristics and behaviour or do we invent our own traits through the cultural influences around our own time. Or maybe it's both, allowing this project to be more of a psychological study exploring the nature/nurture debate.

Boris

Landscaping in Ireland

The people of Paris

These images were taken on the back of everything, I had been learning about the people I met, what's incredible is that everyday of your life you pass total strangers, people who are completely anonymous yet who if you spoke to for two or three minutes instead of just simply walking by could open you up to a whole new world of adventures and ideas if only given the time. These photos are supposed to allow us to ponder the unknown, asking others to take time to think about the hidden identity and the hidden stories of strangers who pass us by. By hiding the face of the subject the audience is not drawn directly to the features of the"person" but instead asks the viewer to look deeper into the surroundings that might make up part of who this person is.

Taken on 35mm colour.

Sweet pareee...

This time last year I went to Paris on a trip to see Paris PHOTO exhibition, the trip was intended to be inspirational from a creative point of view with the informative values of Paris Photo helping with contextulise our work, however there was more to our trip than that...MUCH more.

Paris is one of the magical places I have ever been, filled with wonderment at every turn. Whilst there more than the beautiful architecture I was intrigued and excited by the people of paris... and that is where my work started.

More than producing work, I felt Paris taught me a great deal about both life and the person I was growing into. Going with two very special friends helped me to fall completely into the infectious spirit and nature of Paris's bohemian ambience in the Mont Martre and had one of the biggest adventures of my life. Every night we went to the same places but each night was completely different, every person we met totally different to the one before the confidence I gained from the experience of talking and socialising with people from totally different cultures and lifestyles was incredible and the effect it has on working artists (I met many of these) is totally relevant to how they go on to connect with future audiences.

The fundamental point is, everyone and everything is relevant, everything matters and all of it counts.

Talking of beauty....

This project was trying to establish the links between women and the stereotypes of which they endure from others. I wanted my audience to be met face to face with the negative connotation within which women deal with everyday. The cliche notions of the "Housewive", "mother" and "sexual object". The use of the mannequin was an obvious choice to point out the objectification of women, looking at women artists such as Guy Bourdin who used women to produce very sexual images giving in to one of the stereotypes.