Asthma/obstructive airway disease: a visual interpretation

The aim of this research is to explore, in the visual arts context, the impact of Asthma/Obstructive Airway Disease on the life of the patient, in this case with myself as the subject. This challenging work involved exploring personal issues of invisible internal impairment and presenting my findings though visual and sculptural imagery. These works will be informed and inspired by my experiences of illness and medical care. My own survival is dependant on medical intervention, this intervention, and my disability, have had a profound effect on my physical appearance and ability; in turn this has generated an interest in self portraiture. Not so much in a literal sense but through the use of objects from my life with which I have attempted to generate meaningful narrative installations and photographs. My main intention is to produce work which will enable an empathetic response in the viewer and therefore a deeper understanding of the precarious nature of an asthmatics ability to breathe and live.