Out of the Blue
-a return to childhood memories of place
Out of the Blue documents the journey of an individual who grew up in the Blue Mountains of Australia, and returned to the area as an adult to confront and process the psychological journey of their difficult childhood. The photographs capture the haunting beauty of the Blue Mountains, NSW, with its misty valleys and rugged cliffs and contrasts of light and shadow, while also revealing the emotional isolation felt and the scars left by a troubled upbringing.
Through the lens of memory, the photographer depicts the struggle to come to terms with the past, the effort to break free from its hold and to find a way forward. The images quietly explore the complex layers of emotion and memory that are entwined with the landscape and the experiences that shape us. Lived childhood places are evocatively loaded in a non-confrontational way, hinting at fragments buried in the past from a difficult childhood, including trauma, disassociation, anxiety, depression, only coming into the light of understanding when examined under an adult lens. The images quietly reveal the raw, unvarnished truth of this struggle, while also celebrating the courage and resilience that are required to revisit, confront and overcome it.
Out of the Blue is a very personal, evocative and poignant project that invites viewers to confront their own difficult pasts and to find hope in the possibility of healing and growth. These images are a personal testament to the power of the human spirit to transcend pain and find peace.
