Hannah Louise Cotter

Hannah Louise Cotter

Statement

My art practice centres around photography and self-portraiture, my self-portraits use slowed shutter speed and long exposure to create blurred features, exploring themes of concealment and vulnerability. I also incorporate over painting on my pictures, layering images to further obscure the piece and creating distance between the piece and the viewer, further reinforcing the idea of remaining hidden. The scene of my photographs shifts between domestic interiors and abandoned outdoor spaces. These destroyed spaces reflect the theme of concealment in my practice. The decay and rot shown through sequences align with the interest of fragmentation. My work focuses on how we watch ourselves and watch other people watching us, examining the dynamics of observation. Capturing this reaction of being watched. Being the subject and the creator of my photographs but not being completely seen or recognizable, exposing the tension between visibility and invisibility, often by using shutter speed, props or distorting my body. Through this performativity, I aim to expose the vulnerability inherent in the female experience, The constant expectation to perform for the ever-present gaze of others. My work delves into fragmented representations of female identity, questioning how we are seen.

Images


Course: fine art

Year: 2025

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Photography: Seán Daly