you, the light & nothing else by Christina Oyawale

you, the light & nothing else is a series of photographs of myself and my partner Oliver, taken by myself and Oliver. The sequence of images - presented in a way to mimic the feeling of flipping through a scrapbook - explores our relationship both at a distance and together, taken over the course of three weekends. The accompaniment of photographs, letters and journal entries allows a further understanding of the way Oliver and I interact within the spaces we occupy. The book is meant to challenge society’s preconceived notions of queer relationships by recognizing a multifaceted queer partnership such as my own. With myself and Oliver portrayed, I extend a perspective of what it means to exist beyond the bounds of cis-gendered-heteronormative societal conventions. 

The project creates a visual narrative that focuses on the reality of forced long distances and the significance of reuniting after time spent apart. The selected photographs, all of which were captured during the few times we spent together, are meant to convey the multitudes of feelings that come with brief but intimate moments in each other’s company. To further emphasize the connection between these emotional and physical spaces, the work includes journal entries and letters sent to one another in our times together and apart.

(QR code and Spotify code included in the book redirect to a Super 8 video and playlist)