‘I Wake To Listen’ began after the birth of my first child in late 2018. At the time we were living in a caravan in the countryside and our home, its structure and the surrounding environment became a large part of the narrative of the work. Lockdown arrived and solidified the isolation I was experiencing, intensified the work.
Since restrictions have lifted we have moved into a ‘regular’ house, birthed another child, I have returned to work and am now a mother to two children. My life and my identity keep shifting and with each shift I keep trying to neatly wrap up this work, realise it in a digestible form. I continue to apply pressure to myself to make a book and although that would be nice, something deep within me says no, not yet.
What I’ve discovered is that the time I am giving myself permission to consume, is allowing for expansion, shifting ideas, new edits and perspective.
This is the first long term body of work I’ve made and I’m using it as a listening practice, listening to my creative gut and how it responds to each iteration. And what I’m discovering is that the time I am giving myself permission to consume, is allowing for expansion, shifting ideas, new edits and perspective in which to analyse which images are relevant to the narrative.
So much of my experience of life has been about swiftly moving to the next destination, it’s glorious to really allow something to ferment, get richer and juicer, even if it does feel painfully slow. I have to observe that feeling of wanting to produce something, let it float away and then turn my eyes back to the work.
Words by Naomi Wood
Naomi is a Millennium Images contributor. You can buy the book here