Guest Lecture: Nana Varveropoulou
No Man's Land: Methodology & Ethical Considerations
Nana's practice includes documentary projects and commissioned work. Much of her work considers the experiences of refugees.
Website: www.nanav.com
She showed to us one of her projects which took around 2 years to complete which was originally only funded for 6 months. I believe the concept developed from working within the detention centre and found something that she wanted to photograph to spread awareness. Her focus was the emotional impact and understanding their experiences in the detention centre.
It's pretty much impossible for anyone to get access into these detention centres however from helping out previously and having contacts they gave her permission because in return she was teaching photography workshops. A detention centre is known as a class B prison. Nobody is serving a sentence however Nana believes it may as well be a prison from the treatment they receive and sometimes end up in there longer than a criminal.
Nana was only allowed to photograph 10/15 men for 3 hours in the morning once a week.
She wanted to create this inside/outside perspective. Photographing as an outsider however becoming an insider as she becomes a part of it.
At first she would caption her images as facts from what she had learnt during her experience.
Nana would photograph her subjects and get them involved and thinking ethically by letting them chose the image of themselves which they preferred most. Their portraits is all they have to offer as it is their story.
Inmates participated with the workshops and Nana's project because they were simply bored and finding things to do. To get them more involved and get the project developing she had the inmates photograph what they wanted around the detention centre and bring the images back to her. Interesting images were formed from this task. However the question of who is the author and who controls/dictates the final outcome? Thinking about the ethics whilst creating this concept of work. Even though it was Nana's idea and planning put into the work the images taken are not actually hers. When the question came up she then felt out of control with her own project.
The inmates started to lose interest in the workshops and therefore her project wasn't growing. Therefore Nana took a step back and went back to basics by photographing what she initially did which was the detention centre alone without any person in the frame. Later after that she brought back the workshops but took away the idea of photographing for a reason and taught them more about composition, texture etc. The seemed to enjoy it again and turn up to the lessons. Throughout the process when it both worked out and didn't, Nana was still able to form a connection with some of the inmates she had been working with. This created a much more personal experience for her and that question again whether it was an inside/outside approach to the subject of these people that she was focusing on.
I personally found the images Nana presented to us seriously engaging. I literally wrote about 4 pages of notes and this is probably the longest guest lecture I have ever wrote about. I regret not turning up to her sessions later that day. However I may get in touch with her through email later. Not that her work has anything to do with my current practice but the emotion and style of images I believe are very similar in sense of concept.
Going back to the process of her project... the images the inmates took of the textures and shapes around the detention centre came back and were discussed. This gave them the opportunity to meet new people who were living the same experience as them which Nana found interesting to listen to. Some of the conversations became the text that went with the images. This then opened up new opportunities for the project... themes! Their experiences was the theme: time/nostalgia/anxiety/patience/loneliness/isolation/stagnation/hope and more. They would pick a theme (not every time for some) and photograph what they thought represented that experience.
The inmates were given cheap Canon cameras, SLR for amateurs.
The work soon became therapeutic because the work they were creating was comforting for them because they were documenting their experiences through photos. Also the conversations had during the presentation of photos gave them a chance to talk about their feelings. It was a way for Nana to understand their experience without having to ask them questions. As the work continued to be made by the inmates the images coming back were getting more abstract and conversations started to get interesting. It left it open ended.
Besides the main project Nana had going on she also had a mini project going on. She would ask the inmates what objects they chose to take into the cell with them because they were only allowed to take certain things in with them. Nana photographed these objects on their own against a white background and created a typology. I was quite interested in what objects they had taken with them and the emotions felt through the images.
Nana had to go away for some time and left the inmates to photograph and show her when she gets back. When she got back the images had completely changed. Instead of the areas surrounding them inside they got the chance to go outside and there were loads of pictures of this bee on a plant. She then thought did they want to photograph beautiful things to take them away from the same walls they see everyday?
Dissemination
These questions are what Nana have to think for herself but has also given for us students to consider when creating work...
Who is it tailored to? There is no one in particular this is aimed towards but instead it's purpose is to spread awareness. More so to those that don't know about it or don't care in hope to change their opinion.
What context to present it in? All contexts because it will reach a wider audience and they are appropriate for all ages to see. In doors and outdoors - however outdoors became harder due to regulations.
Who is the work going to benefit & how? It will hopefully benefit those that need the help in the detention centre.
What are the participants going to get out of this?
How do you create work for those less sympathetic? This was irrelevant for Nana because all she wanted was to spread awareness whether a sympathetic person or not. It will obviously provoke some but it becomes a success if it changes the minds of some.
The inmates started to lose interest in the workshops and therefore her project wasn't growing. Therefore Nana took a step back and went back to basics by photographing what she initially did which was the detention centre alone without any person in the frame. Later after that she brought back the workshops but took away the idea of photographing for a reason and taught them more about composition, texture etc. The seemed to enjoy it again and turn up to the lessons. Throughout the process when it both worked out and didn't, Nana was still able to form a connection with some of the inmates she had been working with. This created a much more personal experience for her and that question again whether it was an inside/outside approach to the subject of these people that she was focusing on.
I personally found the images Nana presented to us seriously engaging. I literally wrote about 4 pages of notes and this is probably the longest guest lecture I have ever wrote about. I regret not turning up to her sessions later that day. However I may get in touch with her through email later. Not that her work has anything to do with my current practice but the emotion and style of images I believe are very similar in sense of concept.
Going back to the process of her project... the images the inmates took of the textures and shapes around the detention centre came back and were discussed. This gave them the opportunity to meet new people who were living the same experience as them which Nana found interesting to listen to. Some of the conversations became the text that went with the images. This then opened up new opportunities for the project... themes! Their experiences was the theme: time/nostalgia/anxiety/patience/loneliness/isolation/stagnation/hope and more. They would pick a theme (not every time for some) and photograph what they thought represented that experience.
The inmates were given cheap Canon cameras, SLR for amateurs.
The work soon became therapeutic because the work they were creating was comforting for them because they were documenting their experiences through photos. Also the conversations had during the presentation of photos gave them a chance to talk about their feelings. It was a way for Nana to understand their experience without having to ask them questions. As the work continued to be made by the inmates the images coming back were getting more abstract and conversations started to get interesting. It left it open ended.
Besides the main project Nana had going on she also had a mini project going on. She would ask the inmates what objects they chose to take into the cell with them because they were only allowed to take certain things in with them. Nana photographed these objects on their own against a white background and created a typology. I was quite interested in what objects they had taken with them and the emotions felt through the images.
Nana had to go away for some time and left the inmates to photograph and show her when she gets back. When she got back the images had completely changed. Instead of the areas surrounding them inside they got the chance to go outside and there were loads of pictures of this bee on a plant. She then thought did they want to photograph beautiful things to take them away from the same walls they see everyday?
Dissemination
These questions are what Nana have to think for herself but has also given for us students to consider when creating work...
Who is it tailored to? There is no one in particular this is aimed towards but instead it's purpose is to spread awareness. More so to those that don't know about it or don't care in hope to change their opinion.
What context to present it in? All contexts because it will reach a wider audience and they are appropriate for all ages to see. In doors and outdoors - however outdoors became harder due to regulations.
Who is the work going to benefit & how? It will hopefully benefit those that need the help in the detention centre.
What are the participants going to get out of this?
How do you create work for those less sympathetic? This was irrelevant for Nana because all she wanted was to spread awareness whether a sympathetic person or not. It will obviously provoke some but it becomes a success if it changes the minds of some.
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