Growing Tired of Calloused Knees

“Growing Tired of Calloused Knees” attempts to carry the multitude of issues that stem from domestic abuse as a catalyst for mental illness, poverty, and substance abuse. For the past decade, I have photographed my mother at our home in Louisiana. The photographs within the long form project desire to hold empathy and understanding, while showcasing the visual representations of these difficult topics. Domestic violence, specifically against women by men for the case of this project, is an epidemic that is rarely addressed as such, especially amidst the repercussions of the overturn of Roe V. Wade. In Rebecca Solnit’s essay, “The Longest War”, she writes about these alarming statistics, bringing to light just how often these instances occur. Solnit states, “A woman is beaten every nine seconds in this country. Just to be clear: not nine minutes, but nine seconds. It’s the number-one cause of injury to American women”. This project is not only a photographic investigation of my mother, but a tool to build a new relationship with her through collaboration and documentation. These images show the tribulation of the permanent effects of abuse. By showing multiple similar portraits where facial expression, weight, and coherency often change, the viewer is let in on the irreversible alterations that schizophrenia and addiction have attributed to my mother’s behavior. These images are a reclamation and documented grieving of my Mother and I's relationship post abuse.