Lauren Upjohn makes an occasion

I’ve been thinking about this Occasion concept for a while. I think nearly everybody has some object they hang on to for a special occasion. We often buy these objects with a future fantasy story attached to them.

And it sits there, being un-lived. A tangible expression of not being present. Not seizing the day!

My first photographic subject is the horse riding country gal, Lauren Upjohn from Armidale.

It was Lauren’s idea to take her HSC made dress out of the drycleaning bag and put it on, just for the occasion of riding her horse.

We topped it off by adorning her with a yellow rose from the garden.

It was certainly a giggle for both of us, with a very questioning horse and a very muddy paddock, yet Lauren managed to ride around in glamorous style and almost not split the dress.

The Occasion: with Lauren from Neram on Vimeo.

Can you think of something special you could drag into the everyday?

Get involved by emailing Natalija on nat@seedpod.com.au

I’m running a project next week called The Occasion.

You can follow the photos, interview and commentary here on this blog or by going to the NERAM facebook page.

Or by following us on twitter and joining in the conversation. We’re using #occasion

It’s a photographic community project in which I’ll be asking people in the community to bring out something they’ve been saving for a ‘special occasion’ that has never arrived… not yet anyway!

Get Involved!

Have you got something you’re saving for a special occasion?
But maybe that occasion isn’t coming soon enough!

It might be something tucked away in a cupboard or your wardrobe, in that third drawer down and it’s still wrapped up, it might be for that dress-up occasion or something you just can’t bear to throw away.

Be part of a fun photography project working with artist in residence at NERAM, Natalija Brunovs. Let’s break out the things we’re saving up and use them (for the occasion of a photograph!)

This invite extends to anyone in Armidale who would like to be photographed before Dec 16.

Contact Nat on 0413 056 901 or nat@seedpod.com.au

The aim of this artist-in-residence program is to create interaction between NERAM,  its art collections and its community through the creation of digital media art projects.
The artist in residence will utilise rich media to record and create works which will contribute to a significant culture of creativity and promote innovation among the Armidale community.

The Outcomes

• Artists will run one workshop or public seminar in their residency.
• An online blog/exhibition by the artist linked to NERAM website

Expressions of Interest

Please contact NERAM on office@neram.com.au
Artists are invited to propose projects that use novel digital media to explore the social impact of such technologies.
Residencies should be between 3 and 6 weeks in length.