The purpose of my work is not to capture a specific reality. Rather, I use photography as a medium that explores the relationship between what is visible and invisible.
I've been working on a series of photos of "Dare alla luce" for some time; initially referring to the collection of vintage photos obtained from various sources. In my latest achievements I focused on searching portrait photos. Each entity establishes a different relationship with the camera; sometimes the gaze is direct, other times the subject appears to be absent gaze, which offers different paths for interpreting these portraits. Through my interference, I change and then again photograph these images, as a result of which the newly created photographs oscillate between what I present and what I found in the original version. The main idea of the series is to present photographic fragility, which also refers to the fragility and transience of our lives and our stories. Light plays an important role. Thanks to the use of photographic equipment, I bring them out again, allowing it to penetrate through the holes. By manipulating light, I give photographs a metaphorical meaning. All this allows for a diverse interpretation of the photos - sometimes when browsing photos, brutal thoughts arise, and sometimes the photos exude peace. The performances included in the cycle are constantly changing. They talk about loss and birth. Hence, the title 'Dare alla Luce', which, when translated from Italian, in relation to birth means 'return to the light'. Individual photo titles are significant. Some came directly from the notes on their back, while those devoid of any information from the past were named to relate to the nuances of photography as a medium and the way we interact with these images. As I develop the cycle, I become more aware in my activities. With time, I even began to identify with each photo and its history. These photographs are fragments of everything and nothing.
Amy Friend studied at the University of OCAD (Toronto). She traveled around Europe, Africa, Cuba and the United States. She continued her studies and received a diploma in fine arts from the University of York and the University of Windsor. He is an assistant professor at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Brock in St. Catharines in Ontario. Amy Friend's photographs were shown at domestic and foreign exhibitions, among others at the Parisian Galeria Riviere / Faiveley, Houston Center for Photography, Photoville (New York), 555 Gallery (Boston), Onassis Cultural Center (Greece), Pictura Gallery, GuatePhoto, Rodman Hall, St. Catharines and many others. In 2013, 2014 and 2015 Friend was among the 50 best photographers in the International Critical Mass Photo Competition. The "Dare Alla Luce" project was released in 2015.