Anastasia Murphy

With Shadow Work, I was interested in creating a narrative of anonymity through the depiction of shadow figures within a cityscape. While the photographs are constructed to be as anonymous as possible, my experience of navigating the city as a woman informed the tone of the work. Exploring the concepts of visibility and identity in relation to existing within the world was a guiding force in developing the series. An undeniable sense of mystery with a constant undertone of danger became apparent.

This series acknowledges another side of the city by transforming it from being understood as a physical space to a psychological one. From the project’s conception, I imagined color as the avenue for the shadows to move from one feeling to another. By implementing long exposures to make shadows, I was able to mask identity while also being able to convey movement. Creating a project rooted in ambiguity, the intention was to leave plenty of room for interpretation and serve as a mirror to the viewer’s own shadows.