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Description
This document represents the Senior Art Exhibition portfolio of Ally Laidlaw, which was exhibited in the Bush Art Center Galleries in the spring semester of 2022.
Semester Completed
Spring 2022
City
De Pere, WI
Keywords
art exhibition, zine, photography, graphic design, figurative, poetry
Disciplines
Art and Design
Recommended Citation
Laidlaw, Ally, "Allyson Laidlaw, Senior Art Exhibition Portfolio" (2022). Senior Art Portfolios. 70.
https://digitalcommons.snc.edu/artportfolios/70
Copyright
Allyson Laidlaw
Artist Statement
In “Bare Witness,” a series of photographs and accompanying quips of prose, I pair written reflections and musings with self portraits. I show a range of images: some are direct representations of me in that they include my face or body, while others are more metaphorical representations of me in that they include pieces of the world that I relate to or in which I see pieces of myself.
To construct these image-word vignettes, I first identify an understanding or realization I have achieved that compels me to reflect more deeply on myself or my place in the world. After some consideration, I visualize those thoughts through my camera, alone or with an assistant. I experiment with light and shadow, with stillness and movement, and with script and improvisation. My strongest work often results from my own frustration at the end of a difficult session. When I have let my guard down, my body emotes what my brain cannot articulate, and I can interpret what I am feeling clearly.
My self portraits contain the chaos of uncertainty and the stillness of reflection and understanding. They remind me that I have a place here if only I will allow myself to take it; that things will fall into place in due time if only I am patient. This is the grace that allows me to settle into myself.