Girls

Originally commissioned by Campbelltown Art Centre, Girls sees Blackmore collaborate with a group growing up in Claymore, a public housing estate in Sydney’s South West.

In a research paper published by Griffith University, Claymore is described as “the most disadvantaged community in Australia” due to its high rates of crime, alcohol and drug abuse, domestic violence, teenage pregnancy and intergenerational welfare dependency.

Through interviews and observations, Blackmore exposes the specific attitudes and behaviours the girls have developed as a way of surviving within their stigmatised community. Rather than presenting them as victims of the welfare state, Blackmore attempts to capture the significance of this moment in their young lives in which they hold the power to break the cycle or continue it.

Blackmore is currently completing an M.A. in Visual and Media Anthropology at Freie Universität Berlin.

Feature Image: Kate Blackmore, Girls (2014), dual channel HD video, 21 mins 15 secs. Courtesy of the artist.