Finland

I am 9 days into a month-long residency in Hämeenkyrö, Finland at Arteles Creative Center. The world here is shifted in many ways, aside from the obvious geographical. The sun rises late, sets early, and the lit hours are a kind of perpetual dusk/dawn haze -- if not completely diffused by clouds, creating an even white glow.

I came here with the intention of working on an idea about silence and masculinity, making space for other voices. In my initial grapplings with the concept, I have discarded the idea somewhat, it felt wrong for me and all my systemic privilege to do. I have been exploring instead the idea of bodily dis/connectedness and un/awareness, as well as intimacy, vanity and vulnerability of my own masculinity through photography.

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Let's see where this goes -- with days of silence and days with no access to internet, I think turning inward is a welcome inevitability for me. It's easy to be self absorbed in a place like this. In the same breath to believe you are the most/least worthy of attention and artistry. Time away is always refreshing; through absence, struggle, new experiences and change, I'll be returning to Perth in 2018 with a renewed vigour for all that lies ahead (hopefully).