There’s this tiny half-brick house built in the 60’s I spent four years growing up in. It’s still standing in front of my current home, unoccupied. The hallways are so small that, as a child my arms could touch both walls simultaneously. The stairway that leads to the back door is made of aged wood, probably from trees much older than me that used to stand at the back of our property. I shared a room with my little sister, both the best and the worst. I used to sleep with a portable Sony radio under my pillow to block out the noise of cars and people too awake for midnight.
Walking in for the first time in too long, it was almost exactly as it was when 9-year-old me walked in for the first time. The walls are a noticeable white; the kitchen still stuck in 1979. Hexagonal bathroom tiles still a faded pastel blue and the same mirror still propped up on the wall - an attempt at making it feel bigger than it really is. There’s nothing like walking through a childhood memory vault to remind of the essence of time.
I had wanted to shoot in there for months and I knew exactly what I wanted. Then all of a sudden Covid-19 hit and I knew if I didn’t act fast it would be many more months until I’d be able to make it happen. I called one of my best friends Selena although I wouldn’t have to ask and we got to work on this vision right away.
The funny thing is this shoot mirrors the current state we are in, but I had this idea months ago. The feeling I wanted to evoke, the aesthetic I wanted to create was all centered around the fact this house is empty; isolated. It’s always looked the same, as if it were frozen in time but despite it’s hollowness there is still life within it. What life you may ask? Memories. In my head I could see the shots of blinding white walls with whatever natural light was available, colours from the 70’s and a girl. Maybe she lived there many moons ago; maybe she is there still - stuck, but unaware of time.
Did I inadvertently predict this period of isolation? Was this idea a premonition back in February? Who knows. What I do know, is I liked it, so I shot it.
You can view the full gallery here.
Stay safe,
Adrianne
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