Arann McCormack is an Irish visual artist based between Dublin and Belfast. Central to Arann's artistic vision are themes that resonate deeply with the human experience. Her work delves into the nuanced realms of the female experience, youth culture, subcultures, and the intricate web of human anthropology. Drawing from personal narratives and observations, Arann infuses her conceptual works with an intimate authenticity that invites viewers to contemplate and engage with the complexities of contemporary life.
I Never Promised You A Rose Garden delves into the intricate relationship young women cultivate with themselves during their adolescence. Highlighting the lessons they learn during this inherently traumatic yet creatively charged period of their life.
Photographed within the intimate confines of their bedrooms, this space serves as a poignant reflection of the transformative journey undertaken and the evolution of their identities from the individuals they once were.
Within these spaces lie the physical remnants collected during their coming-of-age journey. The memories of old friends lie next to concert tickets, ex lovers dance on the walls with strangers met abroad, all scattered amongst the rubble of their younger selves. Unknowingly creating a delicate museum of the past.
Through the use of handwritten text, the subjects reflect on their adolescence and respond to their younger selves. In doing so, they highlight the evolving aspects of their identities and showcase the intricacy, intimacy, and profound significance of girlhood.
This thesis dissects the ways in which we experience technical aspects of photography, and the resulting effect it has on the psyche. It explores the relationship between colour and light as a tool to evoke emotion. Examined alongside the associations with black and white photography, and how this has affected the working class.