Turning back the clock, this series of photos reimagines the most important stories to me as a child. From Hansel and Gretel to Alice in Wonderland, when I think of my own childhood, I think of these stories. Now, as a fifteen year old girl in the midst of a global pandemic, this theme has forced me to reimagine the stories I held so dear. No longer are they drenched in sweetness and kind morals. Beneath almost every story there is a warning. One of our growing pains is always to unearth these warnings and bring them to the light.
Using my family members, these photos take our childhood comforts and distort them. The photos use colour as a constant motif, as the brightness and vibrancy of childhood is something we all wish to hold on to. Each photo was taken at my house, using natural light or lamps to mimic studio lighting. The rest was edited and touched up by me.
Our lives are filled with stories. The ones we create, the ones we hear, the ones we cherish. Never is that more apparent than when we turn back the clock and look at our childhoods. Our bookshelves were filled with stories of kings and queens, knights and dragons flashed on our TV screens. We knew classic stories like the back of our hands, and they were fed to us in every which way, from remake to remake. Nostalgia is a powerful tool, one that can often blind the faults of something that induces a comforting memory. As one grows older, and you rewatch or listen again to the stories you held so close as a child, you gain a new, often uncomfortable, perspective. The idea of a girl wandering alone in the woods or a sleeping princess awaiting a kiss could seem all too innocent to a child, but as you are exposed to the often unfair world, the messages behind the stories seem lopsided, or in some cases, dangerous. The only thing certain about growing up is a loss of innocence.
- Riley
Artist Bio:
Hi, I'm Riley! I'm in my second year of Havergal and have always loved telling stories with whatever medium I could get my hands on. Fairytales have always been a huge part of my life, and the theme of Growing Pains gave me the perfect opportunity to go back to my childhood and bring these stories into the spotlight. I enjoy any class where I can be as creative as possible.
Hi, I'm Riley! I'm in my second year of Havergal and have always loved telling stories with whatever medium I could get my hands on. Fairytales have always been a huge part of my life, and the theme of Growing Pains gave me the perfect opportunity to go back to my childhood and bring these stories into the spotlight. I enjoy any class where I can be as creative as possible.