3 The Silence of the Photograph: Photographing Deafness

A project with University of Manchester Audiology Department and Anatomy Projects. The stillness of the photograph is an innate and ever present quality of the photographic image. The departure point here is to consider and shift attention to the silence of the Photograph, and through this create the space to view, consider and interrogate the surface of portrait, and it’s reading. There is no expectation here of achieving absolutes: it is a conceit that is expected to operate in a number of ways: as a simple metaphor (silence and deafness), as a way to frame the reading the image, and as an invitation to the subject to consider when being photographed.

We see this project as a rich opportunity to explore the potential of cross-discipline collaboration that will help to map out the shared territories between Anatomy Projects and the Department of Human Communication and Deafness, and to evolve methodologies /dialogues and strategies that will support the development of engaging and thoughtful work.