Josie Jones
In January 2020, my father passed away, having fought a brave battle for many years with addiction to heroin. Since the age of two, my life has been imbued with this affliction and is something that will no doubt resonate with me for the remainder of my own life.
For this project, I really had to come to terms with the idea that my dead father could be the subject of my work, and that I could mine the archive of his existence in order to qualify my work for educational scrutiny. The sorts of anxieties that this kind of thinking throws up in me is overwhelming, but I also know that sharing experiences informs others and this sharing just might make the difference for someone. I also want to be honest and to say that from a selfish point of view, this could be good therapy for me.
Through the process of creating my work I have been mindful of the ethical side that comes along with such a difficult subject, exploring ways to ensure that I am not exploiting anyone’s life for my own personal gain. My work represents my own struggles as the daughter of an addict and I hope that this story helps me in some way, and may also help others consider that sharing our experiences is a progressive act that has value.
