Colour as a concept - "Weighted"

For Colour as a Concept we had to create a series of 10 images and a short film inspired by colour and its ability to amplify and convey a concept, theme, or narrative My chosen colour was black. I explored the effect of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) on my life by way of a photo series called Weighted. Being diagnosed with RA at the age of 16, and the disease has had a profound impact on my physical and emotional well-being. In my series, I used the metaphor of black ribbon to express physical or emotional pain which often goes unnoticed. The ribbon’s appearance is strong and impactful which is used to symbolize my RA experience and the ultimate effect it has on her everyday life.  My love for animals has been an integral part of my life and has taught me about the importance of compassion, empathy, and kindness. I decided to take photographs on the beach of a three-year old female Whippet named ‘Lubah’. Lubah is a symbol of the young, innocent spirit which I wishe to maintain in my battle against the ongoing auto-immune disease. Lubah's wild, vigorous and playful nature always brings me immense joy, reminding me to look forward with hope and gratitude for the small things in daily life. Weighted's goal is not only to shed light on physical pain and living with an autoimmune disease such as Rheumatoid Arthritis, but also to raise awareness of the invisible challenges faced by many people every day. In drawing attention to the way in which unseen diseases and invisible disabilities affect a person's everyday life with considerable and often burdensome effect, I used black ribbon as a metaphor for these struggles.