Adolescence is an archetype for our times, reflecting the incessant ambition for friendship and social bonding, and the conversely concurrent feeling of isolation; the desire to blend and belong, and the need to define and differentiate ourselves.
Adolescence also parallels my experience as a foreigner, and as a new mother, particularly when examining identity and the concept of home.This portfolio is a preview of my current photographic series, “Homecoming,” which is a nod to the state of adolescence and the classical narrative tradition of return. “Homecoming” uses the episodic form, rather than single frames, to become a collection of short stories to form a larger narrative around imagination, nostalgia, and community.
As an outsider living and working in a small rural town in Maine, this project has created an opportunity to nurture relationships within the community. The influence of place manifests itself practically, through its locations, costumes and the recurring cast of ‘real’ teenagers. Maine also holds a cerebral connection, referencing the unique history of local artists, in the tradition of American realism and magical realism. The series is cinematic and romantic, constructed illusionary scenarios rooted firmly in this time and place. For my first solo show at Dowling Walsh Gallery in September 2019, I will present seven episodes shot over all four seasons and capturing one full life cycle.
About Madeleine Morlet
Madeleine Morlet is a photographer from London. She studied Classics and English at Kings College London and for almost a decade has worked across both video and stills with companies such as Ridley Scott Associates, Vice, i-D and Somesuch. Her photography is cinematic, dark and deeply romantic (Romantics are often failed classicists). Madeleine is the Features Editor for TEETH magazine and currently based between Maine and LA. [Official Website]
