Lorna Hooper

Observing the resonance of the face is the essence of my work. I attempt to understand the feel of a person through images; the subtle, unspoken qualities unique to each individual. I fragment these images, often only revealing small details of the face, as though uncovering slight but significant remnants of the past. This fragmentation occurs in my photography through the use of strong light, obscuring much of the face into shadows out of which the nature of the person emerges. I believe that this visual deconstruction penetrates the façade, delving deeper than the aesthetics of the face, revealing traces of the person underneath.

My work focuses in particular on women. As a female artist, I explore my views and reflections on the female mind, identity and emotions. Through painting women I feel that I am intensifying my knowledge and understanding of my subjects. This recurring interaction is like a conversation between us. In particular, I am fascinated by Virginia Woolf as a woman, as a writer, as an iconic and literary figure, her life, her intellect and her voice through her writing. I believe there is an imprint of her life on the world that resonates through her creations; perceivable through her face. I am trying to capture something of that resonance. Through constructing images I am creating a reality which, although may not be factually true, has a truth of its own through my perception of the person.