The Forest.
Based around a self-written story, this work uses the familiar tropes and aesthetics of fairy tales and children's books as a tool to facilitate escapism and talk about childhood trauma.
The central creature in these images is a handmade costume, based on old folk traditions around Europe of warding off bad spirits through puppetry and extravagant costumes.
This creature is emblematic of many things but mainly stands as a metaphor for the fears we carry with us from childhood, those shadows and monsters that lurk in corners and under the bed. Although usually figments of our imagination, what we see in our dreams and our subconscious can often reflect real threats we’re experiencing.
This story takes place in the forest, the place of nightmares but also of nourishment and growth. It exists as a reminder that those feelings can fade with time, but sometimes feeding into our childlike naivety and imagination can promote healing.