We are thrilled to appoint Lauren Joy Kennett for our In Focus 2023 commission. In Focus is a partnership with Aspex Portsmouth and part of Explorers, a national creative programme increasing the visibility and representation of neurodivergent artists in contemporary visual art led by Project Art Works with cultural partners nationwide.
In Focus 2023 culminates in a solo exhibition at Aspex, Portsmouth. A new programme of Inclusive Photography Clubs in Portsmouth is also underway.
Lauren Joy Kennett is an autobiographical artist exploring love and loss, working across photography, hand cut collage and text.
“I’m an autobiographical artist working with photography, hand cut collage and text. Being Autistic makes it hard to process my thoughts and emotions and I discovered photography as a tool to help me understand what I am going through. I’ve been documenting my personal life and relationships over the past six years, capturing the physical and emotional challenges I faced on my journey to becoming a mother. I work with photocopy prints and a scalpel to combine intimate black and white portraits with symbolic landscapes, to give form to the unconscious. Exploring themes of love and loneliness, my work tells a story of sex, abortion, miscarriage and mental illness.”
Explorers is supported by Arts Council England and Paul Hamlyn Foundation.
