Yvonne Yowman
     
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Intimate Misconception

 
 
     
Artist Statement  
  Photographs of intimate places expose private settings and intimate views of a life. The idea of how one perceives intimate places usually comes from significant visual memories and experiences either from the subconscious or personal reality. The reality one knows is not necessarily the ideal and acceptable reality prescribed by society. An image of an intimate space can link one to a private memory providing a sense of security and peace; yet the same image can have a completely different effect on another viewer. This body of work is an invitation for the viewer to intrude upon a person's intimate space. The graininess of the photographs create a gritty filter through which the subject and the viewer share the psychological effect of the invasion of privacy.

Sharing an image of an intimate space brings the private into public light. Courageously, this act strips away barriers of protection revealing the vulnerable nature of a person's reality. Societal standards of class, race, and sexuality are not overtly apparent in these photographs. Stereotypes and misconceptions are ever present in our culture; but the intention of this work is to provide a way for the viewer to connect through a private and personal memory. Finally, the question is: Can the viewer step out of preconceived realities and social standards in the interpretive process?

   
Bio  
 

I was born in Los Angeles, California in 1965. I am the second of six children of Mr. S.N. Yowman and Mrs. J.M. Yowman. In the mid 1970's my family moved to Port Arthur, Texas, once a thriving refinery town in Southeast Texas on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. I graduated from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas where I received my Bachelor of Science Degree in Graphic Arts in 1989. After graduating from college I moved to Joliet, Illinois. In 2000, I began studying Photography and Digital Imagery in graduate school at Governors State University, University Park, Illinois. I received my Master of Art degree in December 2004. In 2005, I moved to California with my husband Tim. We currently live in Oceanside, California with our dog Aries.

riginally I focused on the research and production of documentary photography. I photographed generations of individuals within my family hoping to reveal various aspects of our genealogical history. The portraits ranged in subject matter from individuals, varied groups, and family pets. Eventually, I found I was not motivated enough to continue with this portrait series. I was researching how one looks at intimate spaces and began photographing private personal places in daily life. I began to see how to interpret personal spaces differently, and proceeded to develop a series of photographs along this interest. I discovered how glimpses of private spaces in varied environments could evoke a multitude of responses in the viewer. This is an ongoing series that investigates how the image of a private space reveals personal, political and poetic meaning depending upon the viewer's cultural background, education and personal experience.

Contact Info  
  Email: ydhall2004@yahoo.com
     
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