Chemotherapy.

London: 2021

1 lightbox : metal, UV photographic print on fabric, LED light strips, power cord ; 45 x 80 x 6 cm

1 in an edition of 3

Second Life is a series of photographs by art duo Henry/Bragg exploring the use of alternative identities during traumatic experiences. Nearly everyone has daydreams or has immersed themselves in escapism at some point. When we experience trauma, the brain works extraordinarily hard to keep us safe and episodic dissociation can be one of the ways our brain tries to adapt. Creating another identity can be used to put distance between ourselves and an overwhelming situation, to mitigate a reality collapse or a system overload, which can sometimes happen after a stressful event. Early in 2021, Henry was suffering from suspected Long Covid, but her symptoms were continuing to get worse and starting in June 2021 she underwent a series of tests that eventually revealed she had cancer. The cycle of blood tests, biopsies, blood transfusions and scans, and then treatment including chemotherapy and immunotherapy, have been both frightening and traumatising. To help alleviate the stress, Henry has found herself adopting various alter egos and imagining different fantastical scenarios... Henry/Bragg have set about reconstructing these scenes, putting calls out on social media for props and costumes to recreate the spontaneity of Henry’s imagined characters and bring them to life... These photographs capture the possibilities of a Second Life for Henry and the process of re-enacting them has in itself proved to be therapeutic, for both Henry and Bragg.--henrybragg.com

Title provided by the artist.

Wellcome Collection 3338898i

Copyright: All Rights Reserved

Exhibited at The London Open 2022 at The Whitechapel Gallery, London, 30 June to 04 September 2022.