Eight: The Shift
Christopher Young
Despite it being inevitable, death is not something we freely discuss. It is often seen as a taboo subject, especially intergenerationally. The passing of a loved one can be further complicated by the foreignness of the surrounding experiences. This is particularly the case with 'stoic' men, even more so those in regional communities.
Eight: The Shift looks at end-of-life cultural experiences; how people respond to such experiences; and the environments and institutions they encounter. These experiences are universal, and this work has the capacity to extend dialogue, both within the arts as well as in connection to larger social issues.
Utilising spaces such as hospitals, doctors’ surgeries, funeral homes and churches, it looks at the paradox of highly-charged, emotive events in seemingly sterile and controlled spaces.
How does the confronting nature of such spaces affect both the creation of the images as well as the subsequent interpretative experience?
Eight: The Shift stems from visits to funeral homes when my father was ill. The first was a macabre behind-the-scenes tour and later for his funeral.
The sterility of these places should be calming and reassuring but I found the 'otherness' difficult to overlook.
Eight: The Shift is an ongoing series and it also includes anonymous interviews with people about their own end-of-life experiences.
Eight: The Shift was exhibited at the Perth Centre for Photography in September/October 2019; the Margaret River Heart from August to October 2020; the Bunbury Regional Art Galleries from November 2020 to February 2021; and the Albany Town Hall from November to December 2021.
Please contact me on 0421 974 329 (Western Australia, GMT+8) should you be interested in purchasing work.
Eight: The Shift at the Bunbury Regional Art Gallery, November 2020 to February 2021.
Eight: The Shift at the Albany Town Hall, November to December 2021.
Christopher Young. Eight: The Shift (2019). Artist book in a limited edition of 100 copies. 210mm x 210mm.
ISBN: 9780992410148 (Paperback); 9780992410162 (eBook)
Now also available at Planet Books, Fremantle Arts Centre, the State Library of WA, the National Library of Australia and NGA Research Library. eBooks available on-site at State Libraries across Australia.
Acknowledgements
This project has been an immensely rewarding – if occasionally confronting – experience and I would like to acknowledge the generosity, energy and enthusiasm of all involved.
Thank you to Adrian, Alison, Amanda, Anna, Annmaree, Andrew, Audrey, Bernadette, Berenice (†2015), Brett, Britta, Caroline, Carolyn, Cath, Cathy, Chris, Christine, Connie, Cynthia, David, Diana, Elisa, Elizabeth, Elliott, Emily, Fecility, Fleur, Gail, Gavin, Glenn, Graeme, Helen, Indra, Ingrid, Irene, Ivy (†2018), Jack, Jacqui, Jayne, Jenny, Jess, Jim (†2013), Joanne, John, Jon, Jonathan, Jude, Julian, Julie, Julie-Ann, Julieanne, Karen, Kate, Kit, Lisa, Lyn, Marcus, Margaret, Mario, Mary, Michelle, Morgan, Nola, Paola, Peter, Rebecca, Richard, Ruth, Samar, Sandra, Sarah, Shendelle, Simone, Sue, Tahli, Taryn, Terry (†2019), Tiffanie, Tim, Tina, Tony, Vicki and Weng-Si.
The Regional Arts Fund is an Australian Government initiative supporting the arts in regional and remote Australia, administered in Western Australia by Regional Arts WA.
Regional Touring Partner
If the content of this project has raised issues for you or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
All names throughout have been changed and the interviews have been edited for brevity.
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