Publication Date

5-4-2020

Document Type

Essay

Legacy Department

School of Art

Abstract

Danielle Koenig obtained her Associate in Arts degree from Sauk Valley Community College in 2016 and will receiving her B.F.A in Design and Media Arts in photography, in 2020 from NIU. She has been in group exhibitions such as Challenging the Stigma, and the Annual Juried Blick Art Materials Ars Nova Exhibition. Her photographic work explores family. This series of photographs captures my two daughters as they navigate transitions from one stage of life to the next. The photographs explore their evolving identities during this time and their relationship to each other as sisters. My oldest was a twelve-year-old child when I began this series, but she has since become a teenager. She still enjoys dolls and stuffed animals from her childhood, while at the same time, is interested in cell phones, fake nails, and relationships with her friends. As she grows into a teenager, she is finding her own voice and strength in developing her own identity. With each passing day my four-year-old inches her closer to five and moves away from preschool to grade school. Once helpless, she is becoming independent and vocal about her interests in play and social interaction and looks to her older sister for guidance. She still likes bubbles, chalk, and dolls, but also shares interests with her older sister. These images show a new-found sense of self they each discovered in their separate lives, as well as their common interests that bond them. Time is fleeting and photography allows one to capture moments that cannot be replicated later. Photography allows the pausing of time and the ability to capture my daughters as they are in this moment, at this stage of their lives. I wanted to explore each of their transitions before all evidence of who they are during this time of their life is gone.

Comments

daniellekoenig.net

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Media Type

Image||Text

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