I’m Still Here

I’m Still Here is a series based upon the loss of many loved ones in a short period of time. In the past year alone, I have lost my grandmother, two of my aunts, a childhood friend, and my father. I documented a series of self-portraits by having the first person I interacted with each day take a Polaroid photo of me. I used this medium to create the feeling of nostalgia that comes with the grieving process of losing a loved one, especially over a long period of time. I have found it extremely hard to create work after the death of my father as well as being able to communicate how I have been coping with those around me.

I’m Still Here is an exploration of grief over a period of time. While grief itself does not get easier over time, it does get easier to manage. There is no right or wrong way to experience grief, just as there is no right or wrong way to represent it in an artistic medium. Everyone is different, each set of circumstances is different. Different people react in different ways; grief is a universal emotion that all people experience at some point in their lives. While I have dealt with more grief than most in the past year, I have dedicated this series to those I have lost and use this as a reminder to myself that while they may be gone, I’m still here. 

Bio

Teagan Lopes is a Canadian photographer who currently works out of Toronto, Ontario. Her work spans over many different styles of photography such as portraiture, experimental, and documentary. She is influenced by her background in animation and illustration which she studied at Algonquin College before attending Ryerson University to study photography.

Instagram: @teaganlopes