I am the type of person who is always looking for new and interesting galleries, exhibitions, or museums to go to. I had never been to Photoville and I am very happy that I attended in person and plan to do so for years to come. I was moved by a lot of the pieces and the stories behind them, however, I was really touched by Dana Scruggs’s story.
Dana Scruggs shined light on the mental health issues that have come along with COVID and quarantine. I think it’s really important to acknowledge these issues because a lot of people are distraught due to the tremendous amount of change that has taken place in the last six months. Dana talks about how she lost her spark to be creative and spends most of her days dwelling in self-pity. Dana discusses the comfort she has found in purchasing items because it’s the only thing she has control over. The photo she included is a beautiful photo of herself in her living room surrounded by all of her newly purchased items. In the photo, her apartment looks beautifully furnished, however, she does not look happy. Shopping can be fun and relaxing but when you depend on it, the items become baggage as Dana said. This piece was so real and I think we can all relate to it. COVID has made us all feel alone and uneasy, therefore I really like how vulnerable Dana made herself by publishing this story to the public.
*For some reason, my photo will not upload due to size. I’m going to email it*