This series explores the emotional oscillations of impending parenthood through dusk-drenched scenes: visions of goats, thick-fleeced rams, and faceless figures haunt deserted parks and dimly-lit stages, presenting a theatre of quiet chaos. Throughout the ages, the constellation Aries has represented a pocket of space rich with stars, symbolizing the cardinal sign of the zodiacal ram and elemental fire, and now also corresponding to the predicted astrological sign of the photographer’s child.
In women, there is an expectation that fertility will be ripe, red, and fecund. Simultaneously, there is a sense of shame regarding their blood. O’Connor confronts the contradictions of being female, which are entwined with her own ambivalence surrounding an unplanned pregnancy: does her gratitude merely reflect her learned currency regarding worth? Or, like the ram, does it signify new beginnings, strength, determination, and, at the same time, sacrifice? The visual theatre that she constructs acts as a guide, leading us through these multifaceted confrontations of self and body, never quite landing on a steady foundation.
—Stephanie O’Connor, a winner of the LensCulture Emerging Talent Awards 2024. Discover all 25 emerging talents here!
