6: Rowan and Jack and Me

Hasselblad Portraits

 

ALL THREE SELF PORTRAITS

ROWAN AND JACK FACES

EVALUATION

In Prophecy Coles Sibling Relationships she starts by covering issues such as the historic nature of siblings relationships being violent and competitive due to having to fight for the love of your shared parents, money, or power. While this is anthropological it was reflected in art and plays, with siblings often murdering each other due to some type of competition. This example is extreme however this competitive dynamic is still relevant in modern day siblings, and manifests itself is a variety of ways. For example, when being competitive with a sibling you are aware of what they are doing, and are most probably monitoring their behaviour so that you are able to compare it to your own. This may lead to being hyper critical of a sibling or picking out their flaws. Moreover, jealousy caused by sibling rivalry may result in ignoring or belittling their successes; here is where aspects of the power dynamic between siblings is displayed. If a sibling is aiming to please, or is successful and is belittled by another sibling this will result in the sibling feeling worse about their achievements, giving the second sibling the power over them to make them feel bad about their behaviour. Jealously and rivalry will depend a lot on the dynamic the siblings have with their parents, as well as age, gender, and whether the siblings have both of the same parents or are half/step siblings.

Within the context of this work, age and gender are key themes coinciding with rivalry and the power dynamic. The way in which Rowan is older than Jack has slowly become much more important within micro elements of the photographs. I believe that while I am not a part of their relationship I have captured aspects of the competition between them with tiny elements, their position being either submissive or dominant. I have tried to show dominance and control in these images, with a sibling uncomfortably holding the others face, it is intrusive, uncomfortable (physically and emotionally) and shows the way in which the older sibling, or the male sibling is able to take hold of aspects of the younger siblings life.

I have also further experimented with the embrace, the idea of physical contact between siblings, and I have also included myself in this work, I am hugging Rowan in one of the above portraits. This felt like a big moment for me, it was the first embrace we had had since the summer, and because of the situation, was uncomfortable, yet comforting. All of the hugs look uncomfortable due to their very nature of being forced, they arent happening naturally, they are being directed to behave in this way. I am very please with the outcome, I feel like the level of discomfort is an indicator to the way in which these hugs are forced, and shows the awkwardness myself and my siblings have in showing affection. I have also experimented further into the idea of physical contact with the holding of the faces, inspired by Nelli Palomaki’s The Experience of Being a Sibling, I wanted to push this idea of touching further. While Palomaki has stated that she felt she observed the high amount that siblings have physical contact, my own dynamic is very much the opposite, which can be seen in our family portraits. However Palomaki also states that there is a level of discomfort in her own work, which slightly contradicts what she had stated about her observation. However, this discomfort is something that I myself can relate to, therefore I wanted to create this atmosphere in the work. Durning the shooting process, the boys touching each others face was an unusual act in its self, it was almost an awkward laugher situation, but I also feel both the boys look slighting angry in the images, which works perfectly with my themes of control and aggression. I am very happy with these images, the only thing I wish I had done is include myself in the work with Rowan holding my face, however I feel that the shooting process still isn’t comfortable enough for me to relinquish my role and give them the camera, and therefore the power.

In the images of Jack, with Rowan holding his face, you can see a small part of Rowans arm tattoo. Rowan got this tattoo recently, it is a snake surrounding a sward with ‘Type 1 Diabetic’ written beneath it. The snake and sward is the sign for being a type 1 diabetic. This is obviously a huge part of Rowans life, and has always been very present in our lives. I cannot speak on behalf of Rowan with this as it is something that I will only ever understand as a spectator, but as his sister Rowans embracing of this in regard to getting the tattoo was an important moment. It was an acceptance of something that he did not chose.