The Flowers in Her Room
Ana Paula Estrada
Read: here
Read time: 8-10 minutes
Compatibility: This work is best experienced on a mobile phone but can be read on any device.
Brisbane artist Ana Paula Estrada’s practice documents and shares the life stories of older Australians through a combination of photography, video, oral history and the artist book. Estrada has utilised the Making Art Work commission to explore the experience of Esta, one of the older Australian’s the artist has previously worked with who has and continues to live in lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, as one of the many people in our community who is extremely vulnerable to the illness, and who the broader community must protect through our collective actions to reduce transmission. Estrada invites you to create space to read The Flowers In Her Room a digital poetry experience borne out of the artist's weekly visits to Esta at her care facility.
Brisbane artist Ana Paula Estrada’s current practice focuses on creating dialogue with residents in Aged Care. She approaches her practice by developing long term, intimate relationships with her subjects, creating a safe and respectful environment in which they can slowly reveal the many layers of their identities. Care and attention is paid to developing relationships with her subjects families and support networks, to create an experience that enriches the lives of people who she works with. Through developing these relationships, Estrada is able to craft works which explore the rich inner lives of the older Australians she works with.
Ana Paula Estrada, The Flowers In Her Room, 2020, digital poetry.