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Graceland
I know a lot of people; friends, coworkers and family who have
all set off on a magical journey of the soul and body. This
journey usually leads them to far off places of historical and
mystical significance. My journey takes me to America.
I have always had a fascination with America. It is, after all,
the place where people and their dreams can come face to face.
Having been out of school for some years, this was not a "school
trip." A full time job had made me a hobbyist of sorts and my
photography had started to take on a more intense personal approach
as well as a more user-friendly appeal. I found this quite liberating.
There has always been a sadness reflected in my work. A certain
amount of loneliness that I find permeates every image. It goes
without saying that still images are silent, but I have always
found beauty in still life. A calm that I have always tried
to achieve in my own life through my work. This reflects my
inner most desires more than anything I could ever verbally
articulate.
I commissioned
a good friend to make the long drive (I don't have my driving
license) down to Memphis, Tennessee. With our final destination
being Graceland. I could not think of a more perfect destination
for my first big trip to America than the castle of their King,
Elvis Presley, which attracts more than 700,000 visitors annually.
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Walking into Graceland was like walking into a tomb, an art
gallery and a museum all at once, having one common factor;
you immediately felt hushed. I felt enveloped and overwhelmed
in sadness and respective beauty. It was almost like a sigh
of relief as I slipped into a certain comfort of my own here.
The images themselves evoke a feeling of melancholy but also
a sense of weight. Not just in the the physical sense of darkness
and draping of fabric and thick plush carpeting, but with the
memories and certain amount of responsibility it bestows on
every person who walks through its dim interior.
The lighting reflects and evokes a certain loneliness to the
spaces -- abandoned by its dreams yet fulfilling the longings
of visitors during their journey there. My images are like moments
of silence, passing memories lit to be captured and remembered
that way for ever.
-- Cathy Wickiam
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Cathy Wickiam
Cathy Wickiam, 28, works for a big "image" making machine (a
stock photo corporation) in Toronto, Canada. This allows her
time to make pictures on her own accord. She enjoys having her
work shown regularly on the small scale in and around Toronto.
An army brat, Cathy became fascinated with photography while
in high school. Without the blessing of social graces, the still
image provided a necessary release for her. Often living in
marriage quarters on army bases, it was forbidden to tamper
with the interior decor. Cathy soon developed a fondness for
other peoples homes -- how they were furnished and the different
nic nacs and collectibles. Moving a lot made her very good at
"life editing" every few years. Photographing others homes brings
her the comforts she longs for in her own life. She prefers
to photograph at night, focusing on fluorescent lighting and
shop windows. She never tires of the beauty in how things are
just simply lit.
Drop Cathy a line at cwickiam@hotmail.com.
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