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​Growing 2022 (2018).
This short film was a collaboration with professional photographer Stephen Heaton.
Essentially this film is about identity. It follows on from the film ‘Masked, 2015’.
The central character in the film Joe is dissatisfied. He thinks the answer to his search for happiness lies in a massive beard – the ultimate badge of masculinity.
Sadly for him it’s not such an easy task to grow such a beard. Therefore he searches out the tricks to rapid and bushy growth. He tries using the techniques he spots along the route to work one day.
These ingredients now become part of his everyday life, the metaphor here being that Joe's dependence on them are used by many of us each day in trying to find happiness. So, the use of food, drink, and cigarettes in dealing with ones insecurities and unhappiness, as emotional crutches.
 
Thankfully, the film reaches a conclusion where Joe comes to realise that happiness is not found in these ‘things’, and that it is to be found much closer through accepting ones self, warts and all.
The accompanying exhibition most recently at a succesful exhibition at Moma Cymru in Machynleth, and originally at The Ucheldre Centre, Holyhead showed the film along with other works of art, and installation.

Hopefully you can find the links here to Masked 2015, and Growing 2022...enjoy, and feel free to leave a comment
​youtu.be/opi1NzKn7Sw
youtu.be/n8xg9RPG4XQ

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