The Unholy Trinity

It’s only now that I’ve had several years of distance and reflection that I’ve finally been able to face these images. The Unholy Trinity came to fruition at a time in my life where I felt like I’d hit rock bottom. I had three destructive key male figures in my life - the boss, the friend and the lover. Having been raised a Roman Catholic, I understood that God exists as three distinct - and male - Persons; The Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit, forming the Holy Trinity. I’d been taught that these icons are the foundation of the Catholic faith. Given that these three male figures in my life destroyed the faith I had in men, it felt only right to deem them ‘The Unholy Trinity’. 

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The weight of having three important men in my life treat me without respect robbed me of any self worth or confidence I had, until I felt like I’d been reduced to nothing. This set me on a journey that began with denial and grief, but ended with strength. For me, this was best expressed through still life and self portraiture. It provided opportunities to use symbolism whilst preserving an element of beauty. Translating these issues into photography, a famously universal language, makes it more accessible. Not only does still life provide a sense of irony through objectification, but still life has often been assimilated to ‘woman’s work’ due to its depictions of the kitchen or dining room.

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Each image relates to an individual figure, and also to the stage of the journey to recovery that I was on. But they all speak to the general subject of the Patriarchy and its effect. Every object has a meaning. Lemons symbolise resentment. The mirrors represent self reflection and an attempt to find truth. During the 17th century, Dutch paintings with women and pipes symbolised misfortune. The window with dirty glass might indicate an observer’s foul view of the world. The white cloth arranged with its point upwards represents the holy spirit, but when you turn it, it transforms into a very ancient symbol of femininity, representative of the female anatomy. The fall of man eventually was denoted by grapes.

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I realised, in time, that these images weren’t just representative of my own experiences. They're about all of our experiences - about the lover who assaults us. About the friend who makes us feel uncomfortable. About the boss who belittles us. The situations I was subjected to are not unique experiences. All the women in my life have their own stories, and will have more to write in the future. Gender inequality is still so prevalent, just look at the recent overturn of Roe vs Wade (and if you don’t know what that is, please read up on it, because no matter how you identify, it affects you). If you have male privilege, I ask that you read, listen and talk to the womxn in your life - use your voice and share what you learn.