This series of photographs is a documentary fiction of time spent in the first lockdown of 2020. Pregnant and isolated in a rural setting, the search for moments of excitement in the everyday becomes apparent. Whetton found relief in the temporary stop in social activities and her solace in having the opportunity to focus on her changing body. She documents herself and reflects the mood of the moment in small quiet still life pictures that she creates to pass the time, partially influenced by her partner's diligently curated blooming garden. The conscious choice to work with still life mediums occurred through the desire to reclaim this ‘minor’ art form and present it as a valid form of expression even considering its decorative nature. Careful and silent observation was also key for the creation of this series.
Approaching her photography in a similar way to painting, Whetton exploits the qualities of her camera and polaroid film to express a particular light and colour. The photographs themselves are rarely displayed due to the temporality of the film. - Text from the GOD exhibition, Kunsthal, February 2022
The full project is published under a book title of the same name and is available on contact. Previously for sale in Copyright bookshop, Ghent. The publication is also available for viewing in the library of LUCA School of Arts in Brussels. This project has been shown at Rotterdam Photo Festival, Kunsthal Ghent and in Netwerk, Aalst.
Many thanks to graphic designer Clementine Hoens for the book design.