SHONA WALDRON

With the intent to depict human environments from a scientific perspective, ‘Detachment Theory’ explores the possibility for clinical objectivity to exist in tandem with our own personal views and interpretations. Taking the comfort of domestic spaces and subverting the familiar into something foreign intends to place the residents of each home under the same scrutiny as the microscope slides pictured adjacent. 

The physical absence, but implied presence, of the homeowners themselves serves to make each scene all the more unsettling. Here the viewer is encouraged to assume the role of detective, making deductions about them from the possessions which are visible from the external point of view. This ultimately raises the question of whether we can always separate factual information from our inherently subjective and curious natures. The prevalent sense of unease in my shots additionally implicates widespread fears regarding surveillance in a society where technological developments are fast overtaking ethical concerns. Rather than being regarded as mere paranoia, this anxiety is becoming more and more apparent as, with the exponential growth of media, we are exposing ourselves to voyeurism in more ways than one.