Through My Eyes

Ollie Lauricella

: A black and white image shot on film depicting Jamie, a man in his early 20’s with a beard and short curly hair. Jamie is sitting on a couch in front of a curtain looking directly into the camera. His legs are crossed and he has a straight face. He is wearing a denim jacket with a white t-shirt underneath paired with dark pants as well as thin sunglasses under his eyes.

Through My Eyes is a photojournalistic as well as a digital video project based on queer identity and experience. This project takes a physical form through the use of 4×5 photography as well as a digital video installation. Through My Eyes consists of a series of 3 images and 1 video per subject, taken in a space where they feel the most comfortable and themselves. Each subject touches upon their own experiences being queer such as their coming out stories, how being queer has impacted their lives, and any notable aspects of their journey that they wish to share. This project aims to highlight that aspect of individuality within each and every queer person. It shows that not only do queer people relate with each other through universal experiences, but also shows how each person has their own story to tell. It is about bringing people together to show that you are not alone no matter who you are or where you may come from. The merging of 4×5 photography as well as the use of video creates a sense of intimacy between the subjects and the viewers. The addition of video in the project shows the viewers that the subjects are not just part of a still image. The video aspect of the project is meant to complement and elevate the photographic portion by digging further into the backgrounds of each person and have the subjects themselves share their stories.

A black and white image shot on film depicting Jamie, a man in his early 20’s with a beard and short curly hair. Jamie is sitting shirtless on his bedroom floor wearing dark pants, directly in front of his bed. He is sitting with his knees together and his arms crossed while looking into the camera.
A black and white image shot on film depicting Jamie, a man in his early 20’s with a beard and short curly hair. Jamie is leaning out of a window with his back towards the sun. He is wearing a denim jacket with a white t-shirt and thin sunglasses.
: A black and white image shot on film depicting Jayden, a person in their early 20’s with an afro. Jayden is laying shirtless on their bed. They are leaning back on their elbows while looking directly into the camera. They are wearing dark jeans and a belt.
: A black and white image shot on film depicting Jayden, a person in their early 20’s with an afro. Jayden is laying shirtless on their bed. They are leaning back on their elbows while looking directly into the camera. They are wearing dark jeans and a belt.
A black and white image shot on film depicting Jayden, a person in their early 20’s with an afro. Jayden is sitting at their desk. They are leaning overtop of a piece of paper while drawing. They are wearing a dark sweater vest with a white button-up shirt underneath.
A black and white image shot on film depicting Sam, a person in their early 20’s with long wavy hair. Sam is sitting in their bed surrounded by a wall full of plants and decorations. Sam is sitting with their arms in their lap while looking directly at the camera. They are wearing a light tank top with dark jeans.
A black and white image shot on film depicting Sam, a person in their early 20’s with long wavy hair. Sam is sitting on a staircase. They are leaning forward slightly above the camera with one leg positioned higher than the other. Their arms are resting on each leg. Sam is looking directly into the camera. They are wearing Doc Martin boots and a beret hat with a dark sweater vest and a light long-sleeve shirt underneath.
A black and white image of Shikha, a woman in her early 20’s with short wavy hair. She is sitting on a couch holding a scotch glass with a drink. She is sitting in the corner of the couch with one arm propping her head up and the other resting on top of the couch. She is wearing a white dress shirt and dark dress pants with a belt.
A black and white image of Shikha, a woman in her early 20’s with short wavy hair. Shikha is sitting on top of her bed holding a large dark teddy bear. Her head is resting on top of the bear while her arms hug it from behind. She is wearing dark pants and a white t-shirt.
A black and white image of Shikha, a woman in her early 20’s with short wavy hair. Shikha is sitting on top of her bed holding a large dark teddy bear. Her head is resting on top of the bear while her arms hug it from behind. She is wearing dark pants and a white t-shirt.
Ollie Lauricella

Ollie Lauricella

Ollie Lauricella is a Toronto-based media artist/photographer currently studying at Toronto Metropolitan University. Ollie creates work in both digital and analog mediums with a focus on queer theory. Most projects are done in a documentary/photojournalistic style but Ollie also likes to produce street photography as well as digital collages. The main focus of Ollie’s projects is to not only create art, but to also build a welcoming community.

Category: Perennials - Integrated Digital

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