Last Blood
‘......Art can be a tool, and we need to focus more clearly on what kind of tool it is - and what good it can do for us.’ (Armstrong & De Botton (2021:4)
During the Lockdown periods of 2020-2022 'Fear' was prevalent. Mary's anxiety became acute at different times where the ususal support systems of family and friends were denied or not available. It was during this time that it was reported on the local news that a lady had taken her life in the woods. Later it was discovered through social media that her mental health was suffering owing to insufficient medical care for her menopausal symptoms. This is apparently nothing new as GPs are generally under-qualified in this area of expertise with women waiting years to get any help.
This project became a thereapeutic photography process with 22 women from: interviewing these women face to face (after a time of lockdowns and no face to face conversations), to photographing and conducting a survey -discussing ongoing problems face to face. This project was conducted during a time of Mary's ongoing symptoms and ignored pleas to the Drs for help. It was identified that the subject of 'identity' has become a large part of the issues relating to menopause: from losing youthful looks to suffering physical and psychological issues, as well as trying to fulfill demanding lives at the same level of commitment.
The therapeutic process during this project improved the state of wellbeing through: discussing issues on a one to one with each other, sharing stories, literature and information with each other and building confidence to find solutions through conversations/forums available and alternative resources.
Last Blood’s portraits work in conjunction with the installation 'The Darkroom' and the ebook in a therapeutic and informative way.
Dr Louise Newson amongst others such as celebrities :Davina McCall and Carol Vorderman are bringing the conversation out there and as she says "it has been underfunded and disparaged by a predominately patriarchal society for centuries. This has resulted in women across all sections of society leading a reduced quality of life including health issues, loss of employment/careers and relationship breakdowns due to an onset of physiological symptoms that have on some occasions led to suicide and other fatalities.
This project looked at finding alternative health treatments/therapies to alleviate symptoms including therapeutic and mindful photography during a particular stressful and isolated period in our lives.
ARMSTRONG, J. & DE BOTTON, A (2019) Art as Therapy. New York : Phaidon
BERGER, John (1972) Ways of Seeing London: Penguin
BARTHES, Roland (1980) Camera Lucida London: Vintage
CARR, David. 2003. ‘A Nation at War: Bringing Combat Home: Telling war’s deadline story at just enough distance’. The New York Times, 7 April . Available at https:// www.nytimes.com/2003/04/07/business/nation-war-bringing-combat-home-telling-war-s- deadly-story-just-enough-distance.html (assessed 22nd February 2022)
CLARKE, Graham (2007) The Photograph Oxford: Oxford University Press CODRINGTON, K (2022) Second Spring London: Harper Collins
COVENEY, P. (2022) Menopause Yoga. London: Singing Dragon
JURGENSON, Nathan (2020) The Social Photo On Photography and Social Media London:Verso
MARDER,E. 2012. The Mother in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. New York:2012 SCHROEDER, Jonathan. 1998. ‘Consuming representation: A visual approach to consumer research’ in Stern, B. (ed.).1998. Representing Consumers:Voices, views and visions. London: Routledge
SONTAG, Susan (1977) On Photography. London : Penguin
STRASS, L.D. 2003. Between the Eyes: Essays on Photography & Politics. New York: Aperture
SZARKOWSKI, John (1998) The Photographer’s Eye. New York: Museum of Modern Art SZARKOWSKI, J. 1978. Press release for Mirrors and Windows: American Photography since 1960, July 1978, New York: MoMA
SZARKOWSKI, J. 1979. ‘Introduction to The Photographer’s Eye’ in PETRUCK, Peninah R. (ed.) The Camera Viewed: Writings on Twentieth-Century Photography. Vol. 2. New York: E P Dutton.
SHORE, Stephen (2007) The Nature of Photographs. China : Phaidon
THOMPSON, Edward. 2016. The Unseen — An Atlas of Infrared Plates. UK: Schilt Publishing
TRACHENBERG, Alan .1980. Classic Essays on Photography. New Haven: Leete’s Island Books
WOODRIDGE, D. (2021) To be Determined: Photography and the future. New York: Artbook/D.A.