2016 Discussion:
During our conversation, in an empty conference room in Baker overlooking Tuck Drive, Kristen opened up about feeling unseen on this campus. She spoke about the ways in which women of color are either hyper visible or completely invisible. We spoke about home and how disconnected we feel from our roots in this place. The conversation runs for a couple of hours and towards the end we find ourselves talking about the ways in which we have made this place feel like home – from finding our small pockets of community, to finding our passions in academic departments. These conversations feel like therapy sessions. They are a release of all that we’re forced to dismiss.
Visual Analysis:
After my conversation with Kristen, the words unseen and invisible kept ringing in my ears – I aimed to make her feel the opposite. As we walked into Baker Tower I immediately spotted a ray of light coming in through one of the tall windows in the middle of the corridor. I was drawn to it and placed a chair at the far end of the ray of light. I wanted the light to guide us to Kristen. I wanted to have her feel seen, but I wanted to do it on her terms. So I asked her to let the light fall on her in whatever way she wanted. She sat on the chair and closed her eyes. I captured her.
2 Year Follow Up:
“When Cecy asked me to reflect on Vox Silentium I was shocked at the fact that 2 years have past since I participated in the project. I remember being so honored that she would ask me to participate. I remember it felt so good to be able to be open and honest with someone about how hard my first year at Dartmouth had been. Talking with her for this project felt like my first time breaking the cast of the fake smile I had plastered on my first year. 2 years later and now having been away from Dartmouth for 6 months, I cry so easily and I never thought how much I would be thankful for that. I’ve grown in my ability to be honest with myself and others about my feelings and experiences and learned to be vulnerable. This project represents to me the part of myself that I used to keep hidden. It represents the parts that most people keep hidden and that cultures of places like Dartmouth encourage to keep hidden. No more. Vox Silentium is a project that allows silenced voices to be heard, and I now feel heard.”
-Kristen