Honorable Mention
The Deconstructed Self
DESCRIPTION
This is an ongoing series that was inspired by my decision to move from my lifelong home of Louisville, KY to Santa Fe, New Mexico. The move occurred at the same time I was entering mid-life and ending a 25 year career as a psychotherapist. Living in a place with a carefully cultivated image made me curious about what was hidden from view, and so I began exploring this place with my camera. I found that by making images of commonplace architecture and streetscapes I could give a new voice to my experience and invite the viewer to consider the emotions that accompany a time of loss, a shift in identity, and a reinvention of self. My career as a psychotherapist has informed me on avoidance. The very human tendency to turn away from the pasts of ourselves or our environment that are uncomfortable or painful to explore. I see my photographs as an extension of that work – It is another tool to know something deeper about myself through the process of decontextualizing my environment, breaking it down into it’s essential elements. Sometimes I get a glimpse of the sublime in these ordinary places. When I do, it feels like I have discovered gold. AUTHOR
Natalie Christensen is a photographer based in Santa Fe, New Mexico and is a frequent contributor to online contemporary and fine art photography magazines, has won several regional awards and shown work in the U.S. and internationally. In addition to pursuing her interests in art and design, Natalie has worked as a psychotherapist for over 25 years and has been particularly influenced by the work of depth psychologist, Carl Jung. This influence is evidenced in her photographs, as shadows and psychological metaphors are favored subjects.