Blood is the carrier of both vital sustenance and fatal disease, essence of life and signifier of death. It is a substance that can unite and divide us. Capable to change and shape our lives for better or worse. Concealed beneath our fragile exterior flows this fascinating and frightening fluid. To confront it is to acknowledge its power and the influence it has over our lives.
Sanguis is the Latin translation for “blood”, and forms the title I have chosen for my project that is about raising awareness about blood and blood disorders. In medicine, Latin names are often used for different medical conditions. This project consists of both close-ups of blood transfusions taken at different hospitals, still lives of isolated medical equipment, abstract images of both healthy and diseased blood types, as well as portraits of people with different blood types and blood disorders. The images sets the scene of where blood can be found, isolating it and presenting it to the viewer. We all share this fluid; it is inside of us and we are all aware of its existence. Nonetheless, it is sometimes difficult to talk about and many of us do not realize the influence it has over our lives.
Blood creates life, but can also cause death. Blood unites us but also separates us, through our different blood types and blood conditions. It has the power to change our lives, both for the better and for the worse. Even though we know about its existence, it is rarely seen by a person if she suffers from a blood disease. By using the most ordinary and neutral portrait, it shows how a person who lives with a life-threatening blood condition can look like someone who doesn’t suffer from a condition. Yet, it is always there and through these photographs I hope to shed light onto this captivating fluid.
