Ellena Deeley
Held
Still Life - peel-apart Polaroid photographs
This work engages with notions of display and preservation, attending to how specimens are arranged, contained, and held. Drawing on the still life tradition, the photographs consider material and bodily fragility and ask how certain lives are held, altered, and sustained over time. Made using expired peel-apart film (Polaroid 669 film), the images register temporality through chemical drift.
Alt text: A cyan-toned Polaroid photograph shows white lilies arranged in a glass bottle on a table. The image surface is uneven, with chemical streaking and torn edges visible. A wooden bench appears faintly in the background.
Alt text: A green-blue Polaroid image shows several glass bottles on a table, one holding feathers. One butterfly is visible under a bell jar; another appears on the tablecloth. The image appears faded and speckled, with visible chemical residue and torn edges. Background elements are softened and partially obscured.
Alt text: A peel-apart Polaroid photograph shows two glass bottles on a table, as well as a bell jar, rendered in green-blue tones. Small yellow light leaks appear on the image surface. The photograph shows chemical drift and soft focus, with frayed edges framing the scene.
Alt text: A cyan Polaroid photograph shows flowers placed among several glass vessels on a table. The image is dark and layered, with overlapping shadows and reflections. The edges of the print are irregular, showing signs of chemical staining and wear.
Alt text: A blue-toned Polaroid photograph depicts three glass bottles arranged on a table, as well as a bell jar. The image surface is mottled and textured, with soft blurring and uneven colouration. A bench is visible in the background.
Alt text: A heavily blue Polaroid image depicts glass bottles and bell jars on a table, along with some butterflies and feathers, which are partially obscured by dense cyan colouration. The photographic surface appears cloudy and worn, with visible chemical marks and an irregular border. A bench is faintly visible behind the table.
Ellena Deeley is a disabled academic, poet, and analogue photographer who has been living with CFS/ME for most of her adult life. She has a PhD in English from the University of Exeter. Her photographs have been featured in a number of independent art and photography magazines such as Swim Press, Paddler Press, Ink, Sweat & Tears, and Wishbone Words.
