What inspires you?
I’m inspired by looking deeply— by seeing the artistry in the ordinary and everyday things around us.
What is your medium of choice?
Digital photography.
What is the most important theme that your work revolves around?
The most important theme in my work is light. While all photography is dependent on light, I often use it as a central subject in my work. In many of the images I have made during this residency I’ve been working with very little available light. In the resulting photographs there are areas that contain a lot of shadow, or darkness. I’m fascinated by this quality of light— that is has the dual ability to reveal and conceal. I find that areas of shadow can trigger the imagination, and allow viewers to bring something of themselves or their own experiences to my images.
What is the concept behind the work made during your residency?
I’m working with the concept of “imagined interiors.” I’ve been combining multiple types of photographs: images of books from the museum’s archives; photographs of objects and interiors inside the museum; and images made at JCC’s Seaport and Watertown manufacturing sites— to create narratives that tie these spaces and objects together using light and color. In some cases the narratives appear as other worldly, in others I hope to convey the idea of stepping back in time to when objects in the museum may have been in use.
How do you spend your time when not working in the studio?
Teaching; looking at pictures; playing with my son, Milo; hiking with my family
How can we find you on social media and the web?
Instagram: @emilybbelz
