BEHIND THE LENS​

 

Roberta Ella, born 1972, USSR.

 

Roberta and her children reside in NJ. Roberta's three children are inspiration for her conceptual photographs that reflect on parenting.   

 

She photographs her children not in the typical sense of family snapshots but viewing them from a distance from a voyeuristic gaze.

Through the images of her children she observes the complexities of parents and children relationship. The images are an attempt to capture the fleeting nature of memory and love. Her images rely on approachable subject matter and an ambiguous, sometimes perplexing subtext.

 

Her series of images “Reflecting on Romeo and Juliet” are based on the theme of Romeo and Juliet.  Roberta hand-made Juliet’s dress which references this period historically. The theme of a love story plays out in ambiguous ways as her children don’t act out or adhere to a script narrative. She is interested in simply providing a framework of references for the children and viewer to respond. The photographs are controlled by Roberta’s children as much as the photographer. 

 

 

Recent exhibitions:

 

"Starting Points"  Paul Robeson Gallery, Rutgers Unoversity, Newark, NJ  May 2013

 

 

Photofestival  Promenades Photographiques, Vendome, France  June 22 - September 15, 2013