A Thousand Cuts

Derived from the ancient Asian form of torture - “Lingchi”, “A thousand Cuts” is a photographic study of patterns of domestic abuse in the South Asian community. I have borrowed the metaphorical meaning of Lingchi to showcase the cyclical nature of domestic abuse. The continuous act of chipping at the soul of the abused, is expressed by making cuts on the portrait of the participant. The paper used to print the portrait is a thin A4 sheet, depicting the fragility of her existence. The red colour underneath the portraits signifies not just martyrdom and strength but also the onset of a new beginning. I have kept the project at a domestic scale, using resources, I had available within the home as a metaphorical reflection of violence occurring within the human space. The final artwork is photographed in a very closed, tight crop so as to express a sense of suffocation and absence of room for movement. This photographic study draws on interviews with 21 South Asian women (it is an ongoing project) and analyses the interactional and emotional processes of the first public disclosure of their private reality.