Beautifully eerie mother and daughter portraits from Julia Fullerton-Batten

Date
29 May 2012

As a teenager the mother daughter relationship can be an intense one. At times you wish she got your humour more, “I’m not being rude –it’s funny!” and understood that most of the time when you say you’re fine, obviously it means the world is ending. But then there’s times when you’re on the same side and need guidance from her, like assistance in predicaments such as: “Can you sneak me out so Dad doesn’t see how short my skirt is?”

While Julia Fullerton-Batten captures less of this domestic aspect and more of the surreal and fragile in her Mothers and Daughters project, the same sentiments are there as she explores the complex relationship through documenting personal memories. Shooting genuine mothers and daughters, Julia wants us to see the tenuity and vulnerability in these relationships which is achieved through this powerful crispness and dramatic filmic quality she’s given the shots. Everything from the set design and clothes to the composition is beautifully eerie and the narrative behind each of these images draws you in.

Many of Julia’s projects address the progression from teenager to womanhood in this unique and visually impactful way such as Teenage Stories that also caught my attention. Being shot in model villages the girls have both literally and metaphorically outgrown the world they live in portraying the various changes and tribulations teenagers go through in this mesmerising day-dream way.

Above

Julia Fullerton-Batten: Mothers and Daughters

Above

Julia Fullerton-Batten: Mothers and Daughters

Above

Julia Fullerton-Batten: Mothers and Daughters

Above

Julia Fullerton-Batten: Mothers and Daughters

Above

Julia Fullerton-Batten: Teenage Stories

Above

Julia Fullerton-Batten: Teenage Stories

Above

Julia Fullerton-Batten: Teenage Stories

Above

Julia Fullerton-Batten: Teenage Stories

Above

Julia Fullerton-Batten: Teenage Stories

Share Article

About the Author

Rebecca Fulleylove

Rebecca Fulleylove is a freelance writer and editor specialising in art, design and culture. She is also senior writer at Creative Review, having previously worked at Elephant, Google Arts & Culture, and It’s Nice That.

It's Nice That Newsletters

Fancy a bit of It's Nice That in your inbox? Sign up to our newsletters and we'll keep you in the loop with everything good going on in the creative world.