A Room for the Pain

A Room for the Pain was created immediately after my dad's accidental death from a drug overdose in 2017. I instinctually started the project by creating in-camera double exposures, which ended up being the perfect way to express the confusing and distraught emotions I was experiencing. Because of his substance use our relationship was complex and thus created polarizing memories that can bring a smile to my face or overwhelm me with sadness. Taking these photographs has been a way for me to reconnect with him and remember him in his complexity instead of just his faults. My dad was unique. A cat-lover, a mechanic, a carpenter, a goof, a friend, a caretaker, an alcoholic, and also a drug user.