‘Trace’ Passport taped down such that only a portion is visible, symbolic of the idea that more lies beneath the surface than meets the eye yet is somewhat concealed (considering ways of presenting oneself)

My initial thought when presented with the passport project, ‘Trace’ was obscurity. Somewhat ironically perhaps, given the brief was to open up and present ourselves to the group in order for us to better know one another. Feeling hesitant to reveal the most important and personal details of my life to a room of strangers, I decided instead to play with the notions of transparency and openness, using materials of various opacities, such as acetate and tracing paper.

I began with a drawing of some personal belongings, which I then distorted and manipulated using the photocopier, until the image had been altered completely to become something else entirely – a collection of abstract forms in space. I embraced the spontaneity and unpredictability of the process and was pleasantly surprised by the results. I then used these obscured images to create my coded passport.

Considering the typical style and format of a passport, I chose to create a zine-like booklet from a single sheet of A4 acetate, folded to create eight sides and taped around the edges to hold in place. I liked the slapdash, informal tone set by this way of making and by the use of the photocopier, often referred to as ‘lo-fi’ or low fidelity for its deliberate and distinctive style.

I am really interested in further exploring zine-making – in terms of content, the lo-fi aesthetic, the DIY processes of making and ‘zine culture’ in a more general sense. I would be keen to consider other ways of printing and image transfer processes and could develop this work by using a risograph printer instead of a photocopier. I plan to continue to look at image abstraction and stylisation, as it continues to play an integral role in my practice.