What does it mean to look away? Is it inherently submissive or can it speak of a rich, difficult, consuming or delicious inner world? I hope so. In this video portrait Tilda Cobham-Hervey experiments with her gaze – the power of the direct view and the intimacy of seeing a person consumed by their own emotional world. This portrait examines the shifts between a public image, a knowing stare and the private life we might become privy to. It is stylised and performative but seeks authenticity and truth. It is inherently playful and allows a young subject to claim space on the walls often held for dignitaries, the celebrated and the privileged.
