Ciara Hillyer
"Using the visual language to buffet the emotional weather of everyday life has been a cathartic process. Not only has it opened more dialogue with those closest to me, but it has welcomed conversations with others who experience chronic illness and those who don’t."
Could you tell us a bit about yourself and your background? Where did you study?
I’m Ciara, I am 30 years old and I am photographer living in Bristol. I first graduated with a BA in Photography in 2015, from the university of the West of England. This year I graduated with an MA in Photography from the same university. During my hiatus from education, I spent time on my freelance career whilst managing my health condition. I made the decision to go back to university after the pandemic. This has been vital in my development as a person and as a photographer. The way I approach and think about my practice has changed, I feel more reflective and have become enamoured with the concept of ‘Speculative Documentary’. The idea that the documentary approach can be an interdisciplinary space that discusses documentary attitudes, meant I could question myself and the nature of my work, which is exactly what I did.
In 'Breathing Space,' your approach to depicting the experience of living with Cystic Fibrosis is refreshingly different from conventional portrayals of illness. Could you share some specific elements or details in the project that you believe challenge these traditional narratives and create a unique perspective?
My body of work, ‘Breathing Space’, which remained nameless until very recently, was curated over several years. It acted as somewhat of a perpetual catalogue that was representative of my personal experience of chronic ill health. This nature of work traditionally falls within the documentary genre; however, at times it felt like a cliché narrative. Photography offers a form of truth because of its direct relationship to reality; especially in terms of integrity, intention and portrayal. The responsibility when making documentary work can dampen creative vision; I didn’t want to be restricted by this but, simultaneously, didn’t want to dismiss the documentary concept and invalidate work that is important to me and the community I am sharing it with. With this realisation, I turned the lens to more ambiguous and poetic abstracts, which gained momentum very quickly. This resulted in a more collaborative approach between me as the image maker, the images and the viewer. This shift from perception to observation acted as an attempt to understand a form of reality, but at the same time could not hold claim to fact. My new approach was refreshing and challenged the reality of my documentary narrative and welcomed a larger contemporary and ambiguous visual field.
Breathing Space 08, 2022
Breathing Space 05, 2022
Breathing Space 06, 2022
Breathing Space 02, 2022
Your use of floral abstracts to complement the narrative in 'Breathing Space' adds a layer of poetic expression to the project. How do these abstracts enhance the viewer's understanding of your experience, and can you elaborate on the versatility of their representation?
For years I have created work that carries heavy visual impact and descriptive of a situation. This work communicates my experience as a woman with a chronic health condition. This led to an extensive catalogue of imagery that spans over two decades. However, a growing curiosity for contemporary representation and expression through imagery encouraged me to make work that de-constructs and unfolds past and present situations in more suggestive ways. The floral abstracts that are scattered throughout this body of work act as a metaphor; a form of visual language that symbolises a personal experience and feeling. Whether coming from a place of hurt, anguish, suffering or a place of content, pleasure and joy, these photographs consider various catalysts and work in conjunction with the narrative of ‘Breathing Space’.
The making of these floral abstracts also provided a healthy and balanced equilibrium between my health and my practise. Reflecting upon both past and present situations, gave me a deeper understanding of the effect of feeling and experience within the visual language. In addition to all of that, the inclusion and interaction of the floral abstracts encourage viewers to slow down and appreciate their sentiment and the theme of ‘Breathing Space’.
Through 'Breathing Space,' you've not only shared your own journey with Cystic Fibrosis but also created a space for broader interpretations. How do you hope this work resonates with audiences who may not share the same health condition, and what conversations or emotions do you aim to evoke through these subtle observations?
Using the visual language to buffet the emotional weather of everyday life has been a cathartic process. Not only has it opened more dialogue with those closest to me, but it has welcomed conversations with others who experience chronic illness and those who don’t. ‘Breathing Space’ has given me the much-needed opportunity to produce work that unravels and explores the emotional contours of life. I have called attention to moments we ignore, the emotional reverberations of every day, the quieter paces of life, and the poeticism.
Contemporary representation and expression through the visual language remain synonymous, acting as a tool of dialect and encouraging new ways of thinking; embracing a shift in visual paradigm. In this instance, my lens looks to translate ambiguous, poetic abstracts of the landscape of home and the hospital; illuminating a space that is perhaps incongruent to the traditional photographic practice. I have sought to uncover a space that strives to make allies through experience, rather than experience setting us apart. Whilst Cystic Fibrosis acted as a catalyst, with the photographs reflecting my experience and feelings, there is no limit to who or what they can represents. They are realities that are universally shared.
Breathing Space 09, 2022
Breathing Space 11, 2023
Breathing Space 10, 2022
What artwork have you seen recently that has resonated with you?
Work that is led by and characterised by moments in life is what I seem to be drawn to the most. During my studies, I am fortunate that I was introduced to an array of photographers and artists. One of which, was Rinko Kawauchi. Her publication ‘Illuminance’, has become a personal favourite. Her work encourages viewers to treasure moments and rituals of life. Her approach to image-making is that of serenity and simplicity. She portrays the mundane and narrates her family going through life, giving consideration to themes of time, mortality and transitory moments. She effortlessly knits these scenes together, to showcase the complexities of life.
Her motive toward image-making have been somewhat more influential than the images themselves. The reflective, forward-thinking visionary of contemporary photographers, borders the fine art realm but is also descriptive of a personal documentary narrative. This causes a ripple effect for photographers like me, who can identify similar strategies and implement this into personal ways of working. There lies a sense of unbridled curiosity and positivity through this lens and I found this hugely influential when creating my own body of work ‘Breathing Space’.
Tell us a bit about how you spend your day / studio routine? What is your studio like?
Honestly, my day to day at the moment is a bit haphazard! Like anyone who leaves education, the future can be overwhelming and, in my case, it hasn’t gotten easier the older I am. Whilst managing my physical and mental health, I am trying to mix things up without swamping myself with untenable goals. I have a few freelance projects on the go, both paid and unpaid. I have started selling some work, I am on the lookout for new opportunities within the creative sector, whilst still responding to photography call outs and making work. I remain active within the Bristol Photography community and that keeps the creative juices flowing.
Is there anything new and exciting in the pipeline you would like to tell us about?
I’m delighted to say that I am in the final stages of publishing a book with Lost Light Recordings. When ‘Breathing Space’ became a coherent body of work, I felt it warranted certainty and a need to last. I wanted it to be held, owned or displayed on a shelf; something where you might chance upon it at any given time.
Exhibitions are temporary, but the longevity of a photo-book reaches in a manner that is different from the passive, fast viewing experience in a gallery or on a screen. The ability to experience photobooks at leisure and revisit it as often as one wishes maintains archival quality and increases the life span of the work. Drafting a book has been a lot of fun and a real learning curve. It goes to print very soon and I am very excited and proud to have a published book with a project that is so important to me.
All images are courtesy of the artist
Date of publication: 16/10/2023
