Dearly Departed

Heidi Kirkpatrick Lost and Found Dearly Departed LensCulture Emerging Talent 2014 May 2014 I use photographs to transform found objects into pieces of art. Fusing transparent family portraits with books, blocks and tins, I create a playful tension between imagery and object. My work breathes new life into these objects, yet they leave hints of the past in their lovingly worn appearances. Throughout my career my work has explored the female figure, family narratives and contemporary issues of being a woman. My intent is to create works of art that are approachable in form and content and are interactive, yet fragile. This most recent work is driven by love and loss. Making these new pieces is a way for me to maneuver the challenges that occur with the death of a loved one. My Dad left this world as we know it on May 6, 2013. There is only one way to know what losing a parent feels like. I didn’t understand. Raw emotions, tensions and heartache have followed. Questions go unanswered. Family dynamics change. The distance becomes greater. Life goes on, slowly but surely. Death is not easy on the living. Lost and Found is an ever growing body of work with many chapters. Lost has taken on many meanings, here in Dearly Departed, the newest chapter, its meaning is literal, the experience of losing a loved one. I am still working on the found.