Triggered: Ed Holten

© Ed Holten, Self Hotel

Image and text by Ed Holten

I use photography to explore the themes of emotional loss and spaces/objects caught in a state of transition. After a year the pandemic and being homebound with family and work in Richmond Virginia I decided to escape for an overnight to Lynchburg Virginia and focus on my art. I spent the day recording images of outdoor spaces for a group of works called Vague Space. I ended the day at a hotel and upon getting out of the shower I caught a glimpse of my tired and distorted face in an oddly curved vanity mirror. This contorted reflection of a year of loneliness, anxiety, family illness and social upheaval seemed important to convey. I used my phone for the image and spent about 30 minutes attempting to get it right. The result felt powerful because it also illustrated how my desire for escape only lead to a deeper isolation. While this photograph did not align with the portfolio I was working on at the time, it stands alone as a powerful image.

You can see more from Ed Holten here.