Natasha Charnley

To benefit from a loss

I have always been intrigued by the concept of memory. And I suppose in a way, this is what initially drew me to the practice of photography in the first place. To capture a moment. To freeze time. To make tangible reminders of a time that once was.

The project ‘To benefit from a loss’ explores the Victorian practice of Mourning Braids. The art of creating jewellery from the hair of a loved one that has passed on. Asking the question;

What happens when memories are the only thing that’s left?

By intertwining woven locks with pieces of jewellery, this body of work attempt to explore how both we as an individual and we as a society deal with the process of grief. Touching on ideas around remembrance as well the conflicting emotions that can come from the notion of inheritance.

Or in other words, ‘To benefit from a loss’.