Photographer John William Keedy has been dealing with anxiety disorder for years, doing routines and repetition of a part of their daily lives. Although the experience was personal, has found a very public way to explore the facets of their compulsive behaviors in a series of photos online, aptly titled "is hardly noticeable."
A glass of milk, covered with holes, a fence decorated in tally marks, a basin filled with blood-stained silk - images of the series address the variety of concerns which have become part of the existence of Keedy. At times difficult to watch for more than a few seconds, the scenarios facing not only a sense of the photographer's identity, but also the more general understanding of what behaviors and compulsions are socially acceptable to the other, or "normal".
For more information about the series, we speak with Keedy via e-mail. Scroll down for the interview.
Presentation of the load
It is scarcely noticeable III, 2012 archival pigment print, 40 x 27 inch
It is scarcely noticeable XXXII, 2013 archival pigment print, 40 x 27 inch
It is scarcely noticeable XXXIV, 2013 archival pigment print, 40 x 27 inch
It is hardly sensitive 16th, 2012 archival pigment print, 27 x 40 inches
It is scarcely noticeable XXXIII, 2013 archival pigment print, 40 x 27 inch
It is scarcely noticeable IX, 2012 archival pigment print, 27 x 40 inches
It is hardly noticeable 11th, 2012 archival pigment print, 40 x 27 inch
It is scarcely noticeable 13th, 2012 archival pigment print, 27 x 40 inches
It is hardly noticeable I, print Archival 2012, 27 x 40 inches
It is scarcely noticeable 15th, 2012 archival pigment print, 27 x 40 inches
In the statement of "is hardly noticeable" works explore "the world of a character who moves to live with a mental disease based on unspecified anxiety". It is this you?
The images are very personal and work draws a significant amount of my own experiences, although they are often pushed to one end or transformed in any way. The character is not direct, but in a number of very real ways, based on the character in myself. Years ago, that I was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, which, along with my degree in psychology studies, has influenced my art. The series did not begin with a therapeutic purpose, but in the creation of the images I've found a way to enjoy my own anxiety in a more controlled manner which had before.
Where does the title of the series?
The title of the series, "is hardly noticeable," began as an ironic name for a single image, "is hardly noticeable I." Originally, as a title of the image, it serves as a mantra for the character in the image, providing security - although vacuum reassuring - on their ability to hide their behaviors.
The Declaration of the series, also raises many questions about the nature of the 'normal' term in contemporary society. Do you see the term performance today?
I love the recent adaptation of the expression "New normal" in the cultural zeitgeist. The term was originally coined in relation to the US Economic Outlook, but was quickly adopted in a cultural and social context. I think that the normal Word in this way can be dangerous. It carries a strong and often finite connotation of a clear and permanent definition of what is acceptable, when in fact what is considered normal differs greatly across cultures and subcultures and in fact, is constantly in flux within any society. For example, until 1986, homosexuality was included, one way or another, as a mental disorder in the DSM (the diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental disorders). I am fascinated by the prospect of a behavior that at the same time point believed to be abnormal, even unhealthy, be reclassified as normal, and that idea plays a large role in my work.
The images that have been created are sometimes disturbing, overwhelming and exhausting even to look at for long periods. Are you trying intentionally to evoke these types of emotions in viewers?
The themes of my images, compulsive behaviors, anxiety, mental illness, psychological instability, even anguish - can be difficult to see, and to create a number of the photographs it is considered that it would be able to generate a version of what the character is experiencing in the public. That being said, I have found viewers respond very differently to the same group of images. There are some photographs, as "Is hardly noticeable XXXI," which annoyed some and comfort to others. I am always interested to hear how each image people respond, because it seems that depending on their personal experiences with the concerns and the pathology, there is a wide range of responses to the same photo.
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