Self 1991 – 2003
Twenty two years ago I started a series of Self Portraits, the young man above left had turned the camera on himself and asked a number of questions including: Who are you? Where do you come from? What should you do with your life? Where do you belong?…
I recall I didn’t have a clue, I was a very confused young man, I certainly didn’t have any inner peace and my adolescence was pure torture. In 1987, following the death of a close friend after a prolonged battle with cancer I was at my lowest. From as early as I can remember a shadow had hung over me and I was sure it would now swallow me whole. Convinced that I too would die from cancer, because of my poor genes I decided it was also reasonable to think I would inherit mental illness, alcoholism and anything else my warped mind could conjure up. With this in mind I contacted the agency responsible for my adoption expecting them to confirm all manner of genetic disorders. So at the age of 18 I took the first step and exchanged correspondence albeit anonymously with my birth mother. Not one to rush into things it took me a further 15 years to take the second step and actually agree to meet Maura face to face.
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