My photographic series A Record Of Real Life (2022) depicts a group of young party-goers – ravers if you will – as its subject; who use fashion, dance, alcohol and drugs, makeup, tattoos and love as a form of recreational euphoric exploration. Queerness is explored and boundaries are pushed.
The theme of the series is in regards to the self-expression that is undergone in the rave scene in terms of sexuality and finding yourself in your identity, as well as the feeling of being young and taking charge of that newfound identity. The uncertainty that the pressures of society provide manifests itself into recklessness and a sense of carelessness, and this is attempted to be depicted in this series sometimes in the form of gluttony. The electronic music scene has a rich history embedded in race and sexuality, and the ravers have always been underrepresented due to their push against the usual rules and regulations of society. There is a large variation of people involved in the rave scene, spanning from ravers and dancers to musicians and video jockeys. The scene manifests in many ways, often in clubs, at ‘befores and afters’ in people’s houses, and in illegal locations for underground raves. The nighttime is where young people explore and let go of societal expectations. I attempted to capture part of the essence in this series as part of a uni assignment here in Amsterdam.