P R E S E N C E  O F 

A B S E N C E 

\ 2021 - 25

Presence of Absence is a mixed-media documentary art work about loss, memory and renewal. Following the death of my brother in 2021, I moved to Lapland in Finland and explored manifestations of loss in uncanny entanglements between human and non-human entities through unstable temporalities of photography and film. I utilised empathetic listening and silence through a framework of documentary encounters - challenging and extending temporal and epistemological boundaries by recalling emotional truths and ineffable experiences.

Supported by the Finnish Cultural Foundation, participants include Finnish and Sámi artists, photographers, teachers, reindeer herders, doctors, farmers, academics and film makers. Their recurring memories of loss are snagged on experiences of domestic murder, suicide, addiction, mental illness and the unforgiving terrain of Lapland. Yet, these people persist through a constant state of renewal. Outputs include a film, a book and a photography exhibition.

JUST BEYOND. 12 MIN. 35MM/HD. 2025

(Click centre to enlarge)

BECOMING BRENT. 1984/2024

Silver gelatin prints/Animation, UK, 2025

(Click centre to enlarge)