Jordana Maisie

Modern Ritual 2006

Project description

Modern Ritual 1-6 exposes the everyday, monotonous yet individual and intimate process of waking up and preparing oneself for the outside world. By bringing the private into the public domain (the gallery space or world wide web) this photographic series examines how this ritualistic process shapes the subject's self-perception and the viewer's perception of them (in the context of identity construction).

To make this work I approached both strangers and friends and after a conversation about the project and their waking up habits (those who agreed to be photographed) gave me a key to their homes. The night before each shoot I went into each bedroom and set up my flash heads. Then the following morning I entered the house 2 hours earlier than the usual alarm time of each participant and woke them up with a flash (or ten!).