Utstilling i Café Ni Muser: 08.01 – 05.02.2004
The five pictures I am showing at Trondhjems Kunstforening from 8th January 2004 are part of a series of portraits I have been making at three Camphill Communities in the South West of England since October 2002.
Camphill is an organisation dedicated to providing a meaningful and inclusive life for those with learning difficulties and mental health problems. The communities are all self contained living environments where staff live together with their families and the residents to create a greater exrended family. Everybody is expected to make a contribution to community life to the best of their ability, whatever their mental or physical capacity.
I grew up in one such community and I hope that these pictures reflect the fact that the people I photograph are simply those who were around as I was growing up. I am not trying to sympathise with any one individuals mental condition and I do not distinguish between those with or without disabilities. My aim is simply to make portraits of people whose lives I can relate to in terms of the shared experience of community life.
I am currently living and working in Bristol, England, before moving to Norway in the summer of 2004 to start a Masters Degree at Trondheim Acadamy of Fine Art. I hope to continue building on this body of work at Camphill communities in Norway.
If you have any comments or queries regarding these portraits please email me at: jasonhavneraas@hotmail.com
Thank you.