Vee Speers
Images from Birthday Party series
If you were a child, at the age of 9 or 10, and told that for just one night you
could transform into the character of your dreams, what would it be? Australian-born
photographer Vee Speers celebrates this kind of fantastical role-play
in the seven photos currently on display at Proof from the artist's recent series,
Birthday Party. In each photograph, a child looks as if they could shed
their day-to-day identity and transform just long enough to be immortalized by the
camera. While one child chooses to transform into a gladiator others dress in playful
costumes, while another appears distraught - possibly taken from a nightmare.
In her own words, Speers says: "I wanted to capture the last moments of childhood
by means of an imaginary party." By allowing the children to act their dreams and
fears, Speers' photographs offer a glimpse into an imaginary world that straddles
the realm of reality and an often forgotten innocence of youth.
Speers is based in Paris where she is pursuing a career in both art and commercial
photography. Since 2002, Speers has had solo and group exhibitions throughout Europe,
South America, and Asia but is relatively new to US institutions. She is among important
permanent collections such as the Elton John Collection, Cierci Collection, George
Eastman House, and the Houston Museum of Fine Arts. In 2004, Speers received the
Hasselblad/Prophoto prize in Paris and recently in 2007 she received the second
prize at the LIPF Photograhic Festival Lianzhou, China.
Exhibited Works
- Untitled #3 (Birthday Party), 2007. C-print mounted on aluminum. Courtesy
of the artist.
- Untitled #6 (Birthday Party), 2007. C-print mounted on aluminum. Courtesy
of the artist.
- Untitled #8 (Birthday Party), 2007. C-print mounted on aluminum.
- Untitled #16 (Birthday Party), 2007. C-print mounted on aluminum.
- Untitled #20 (Birthday Party), 2007. C-print mounted on aluminum.
- Untitled #22 (Birthday Party), 2007. C-print mounted on aluminum.