I never thought I will be writing a blog post for 2020, but this is a hope-building mechanism for the future – near and far.
I will keep this short (easy) and sweet (bitter) not to keep you long.
This year brought so many things that we had to bare, situations that we couldn’t imagine and took away hugs and kisses from people we love. For me it took away big chunk of my life and, quite honestly, piece of my heart – photography/client/culture work. It wasn’t all bad and gloomy, so instead of pointing out fingers at Covid, I will drop a few happy highlights from 2020.
First, I got a dog. Pablo, the chocolate miniature poodle. Not a culture or work thing, but that helped a lot not to loose sanity and will to live. I rolled up my sleeves and started photographing the dog as my “client” and aimed to make him into an Instagram star. Still doing it. It’s going alright.
Second. The culture was cute off from world, at lest the culture life that I was living with before the pandemic. Instead I returned to Hull and the depths of it to look for weird and wonderful little hints of “happy”. I know from the past that practice makes perfect, so I needed to photograph something.
The third item was FOOD. I invited people to be part of my Covid Fat Club posting their food tales. The food thing stopped about June, because I started to gain too much wright and it stopped being funny.
In 2020 there was only few options – give up and throw yourself in the river or just make the lemonade from the lemons that we were handed out. I focused a lot on work, make up for the loss income from photography, so I cannot say that I was bored. I was often sad that I don’t see my regular clients, see cancelled weddings, festivals and all culture activities, there was also moments of disbelief that this shit storm is happening.
The dog played a part in my often spontaneous walks around the city. I grasped those little moments when I felt the juice running through my body and mind when I picked up a camera.
I even figured out a way how to play with the city and it’s people through photography, social media and getting something out of it (emotional satisfaction). To be continued in 2021.
and I went to see one exhibition (happy face emojis)
FLOOD STORY:EXHIBITION happened in October down Humber Street. It funny that I was actually learning how to walk again when at the exhibition. The artist was super nice and we spoke little culture, I took his portrait (very time appropriate) and did the usual exhibition snaps. Beauty. The exhibition was textured and multilayered, there was plenty of little things that draw the attention.
I left the party happy, but hesitant of what the future is offering. Is there going to be more of these or are we gonna fall asleep in the winter months and quarantine deep (happening right now).
To finish this small culture venture of 2020 – I am currently working on some zine designs with some of my work – Home Glory Series, End Of Life and Covid Tales. All neatly named and mocked up in my folders.
Throughout the year I had some time to acknowledge the gap between me artist and me the professional photographer. The understanding is that I fail to establish one or the other and that’s probably why I struggled with work this year.
But thanks to the spare time that I could spend reading Latvian poetry, BJP and other sources of inspiration.
Thanks to my dog, thanks to Anna Bean, thanks to Diane and thanks to my family for being there for me this year. Small or big efforts – all count.
Much love and let’s see what 2021 brings! Happy New Year monkeys.
ANETE SOODA PHOTO 