Suzie Larke is a visual artist and photographer based in Cardiff, UK. Graduating with a degree in photography in 2002, she’s since worked internationally as a commercial and portrait photographer.
Her fine art photography explores themes of identity, emotion, and mental health.
Suzie’s interested in representing an internal state rather than capturing a moment in time. She creates images that challenge our notion of reality – combining photographs to create an image that defies logic.
Her project In the Mind’s Eye transformed her own personal experience of depression into something tangible while exploring the interplay between the possible and impossible. Suzie’s aim was to create images that promote a greater understanding of the spectrum of experiences of depression. To challenge the cliché ‘head in hands’ image that is often used to depict depression, to raise awareness and break through stigma.
In the Mind’s Eye was funded by Arts Council Wales, with backing from Mind Cymru, Disability Arts Wales and Time to Change - It toured galleries across Wales during 2017 and 2018
Unseen Project
Her current project 'Unseen' takes her personal work further by using conceptual photography to depict the mental health experiences of a group of participants.
Suzie uses constructed imagery, digitally stitching photographs together in such a way that they present as a single, untampered image.
By using ‘magical realism’ to transform photographs that take the everyday and skew it, she creates images that interpret the subjective experience of mental health difficulties.
The Unseen project aims to help people express their experiences through conceptual photography. It aims to increase awareness and conversation about mental wellbeing, and unite us in the knowledge that everyone goes through – and can overcome – struggle.
Unseen is supported by Unlimited and funded by Arts Council Wales.
www.suzielarke.com
