Double Portrait

Double Portrait is a manifestation of togetherness, while paradoxically creating a space to think and cope with the (m)other’s absence. It is a reverie in the form of images and words. A communication of an artistic calling through photography and an archive of a personal journey of fear of loss; the joy of love and birth; and a questioning of the psychological aspect of photography. In a culture where images of the mother-child relationship are cliched conspicuously in and outside of the realms of art, popular culture and everyday life, these intimate shots by Cemre Yeşil re-address the cultural, and reach a more raw and natural state of expression. Contemplating the ‘hidden embrace’ as a symbolic gesture for the comforting maternal presence the artist created her own versions of double portraits. Double Portrait shows the complex relationship between mother-child. Double Portrait is a cartography towards the unfolding process of motherhood. A visual response to the unimaginable death of everyone’s mother. Double Portrait invites the viewer to remember what it means to be held, and experiencing what it means to hold regardless of cultural norms related to gender. The project is the result of nine years of research into a real-time system of observation on the mother-child relationship through different lenses. It speaks of something we all know about emotionally, but can’t articulate all that easily. The submitted images are just the introductory part of a much bigger series. Further images, textual work and info on the earlier exhibitions of the work including Foam Amsterdam, Verzasca Foto Festival and Milli Reasurans Gallery could be seen on the project website here: https://doubleportrait.cemreyesil.com/