Blood and wine are interchangeable. The Bible references this and how similar the two liquids are, visually and metaphorically. I wanted to play on this as it feels oxymoronic to exchange sustenance with substance. The composition of the piece is an adroit approach to the scene of a crime or accident, the crude yet ominous shadows serve as indicators of the presence of passive onlookers.
As blood is wine, the model is the glass. The state of the two subjects are supposed to allude to a murder or accident; a story can be understood. The title ‘Don’t Cry Over Me’ is a twist on the term ‘Don’t cry over spilt milk’ intended to highlight the trivialisation of substances that lead to occurrences like this.
The shadows and person providing the lighter are meant to play passive roles in the set but actively contribute as ‘enablers’ to this behaviour. Their presence is not necessarily intended to be seen but rather felt, the nature of these photos is meant to feel intrusive with the model seemingly oblivious to such spectators.
I have always liked the idea of components being able to retell a story, solely based on the state they are left in. This in itself allows for the audience to play an active role in decoding the composition, allowing context to be understood off of spectacle alone. Perception plays a huge role within it, and I find beauty in everyone having their own individual take.
The model is the glass and her blood is the wine, reflecting the fragility of life in every instance.
Creative Direction: Me
Art Direction: Me
Post Production Editing: Me
Photographer: Ruby Kamwara
Model: Jessica Scottwebb
BEFORE AND AFTER
