0 Year

Photographs by Emily Barresi
Interview via emails, May 2017

What is this set of images?

These images are part of a larger project I'm developing which loosely mirrors my own life and development as an artist, partner, and adult with the evolution of man. I've gone through quite a few changes since moving away from the east coast, and for better or worse, was forced to reevaluate a lot of what I thought I knew. I fell flat on my face a good number of times before realizing it's okay (and sometimes necessary) to flounder. After that, my images began to personify that lost feeling and highlight the oddities of personal growth. I started comparing my experience with evolution when I noticed a progression of the human form in my work–from crouching, to slouching, to throwing–as well as some hidden signs and creatures that represent my anxiety about the process. This is a fairly new project, so I'm still playing around with it. Hopefully it will go through a few transformations of it's own.

When did this body of work begin?

Last August, when I was feeling a significant and positive shift in my life. 

What else was going on in your life alongside your developing of this work?

Adjusting to a new place. Maintaining a relationship from 3000 miles away. Wondering how I got here and where I'm going next. Talking with strangers. Ice cream. 

Who are some of your favorite artists, where do you find inspiration?

Jason Fulford will always be a huge inspiration of mine. I find the way he narrates and navigates his world to be fascinating and hilarious. To name a few others: Thilde Jensen, Sophie Calle, Gregory Halpern, Regine Petersen, Alec Soth, and Christian Patterson. 

I find inspiration from anything a little off, out of place, dirty, tossed aside, left behind, and/or forgotten. So, a lot of garbage. 

What draws you to photography?

Photography has always been and will continue to be the best method of communication for me. It's the only medium that makes the world make sense. It brings me to places or situations I wouldn't have found otherwise. It's is the perfect balance between intention and fate and it's everything I could ever need.