not to be
excused

As someone who is very idea driven, I sometimes get an idea and then find a way to execute it. This idea of raising awareness for domestic violence was first an essay, then a painting, then a series of photographs before I found the perfect way to execute it through voice recordings and augmented reality.

The posters at first glance look like minimal posters with icons on them on a skin coloured background. When you use the application to look at the posters through, they come alive with the original sound of people telling their stories of physical, mental, sexual or domestic abuse. As I sat down with these survivors, I recorded them with their permission anonymously and then coded them to come alive when seen through an application.

This confrontational piece makes the audience uncomfortable but also showcases the harsh reality of another individual's life. The posters speak up as the survivors. The people in return, remain anonymous and the only focus is the story of a survivor. Hearing the actual voices of these survivors and hearing the real emotions in their voices is sure to make you speak your truth, that will inspire more people to speak up.

My project creates a boundary between the person and their story so the person stays unidentified. As well as we explore the most important thing, their story. Video interviewing people and showing their faces or even just their names would create a bias or an assumption on the audience's behalf. Hence, I have avoided this altogether. It's still a dialogue between the abused and the audience.