Is the grass smooth and soft, or prickly and sharp? Is the book a classic or the latest thriller? Does she have a companion, just out of eyesight? Did she walk up to this spot or is there a bicycle leaning against a rock not far away? Is the shade from a tree or a hill – perhaps she is nestled in a little valley, hidden from the world and thus oblivious to it. Is she reaching up to pluck a flower from its stalk or is she leaning her chin on her arms and staring into the horizon?
We are not privy to anything but the most intimate of contexts, our eye is obstructed by blank white space in each direction, our questions are left hanging. Curiosities become speculations, speculations become hopes and finally we have a story of our own devising. In photographic terms, this is «Once Upon a Time …» and when we look at it we can all be fairy tale writers.
Text By Catherine Jamieson