Georgina Smith - threads

Mythology, the passing of time, the fragility, brevity and complexities of human existence are all integral elements in the photographic work of Georgina Smith. In Threads, she examines the human condition through its relationship to water. The symbolism of the cord, or thread, could not have been more pertinent when Smith discovered she was pregnant during the making of this work.

The images are produced with disposable underwater cameras,immersed, or placed upon the water surface. The visual magic is technically created by the interaction between the limited capacity of the camera and low light levels and movement.

The metaphor of the title, the thread, is that of life itself, the umbilical cord, of DNA, and the idea of the spinning or weaving of a lifeline by fate. Water is the medium by which we travel as beings. The thread is ambiguous and can be as entangling as it is nourishing. There is a concern with the stages of life and of transitions.

Colour is used as metaphor as well. Green is peaceful and submerged in a sense of quiet and lack of struggle. Blue is more reflective and could represent the ambivalence of youthfulness. At all times there is a sense of fragility expressed alongside complexity and strength, suggesting an act of balance.