The intimate connection of Heather Rattray, an artist who bared all to leave her viewers captivated with the beautiful, intrusive side to her health.
About Mapping Invisibility:
In April of 2017, the photographer started to experience extreme pain and significant swelling in her abdomen. She went to the doctor with a list of almost a dozen symptoms, but these were quickly dismissed as "unrelated" . As time went on, her health problems continued to get worse, and there were fewer and fewer foods that she could safely consume. The artist began a series of appointments with many different doctors, specialists and naturopaths. Every possible lead was followed, but she came away with nothing. In this process, there were also several misdiagnoses and medications prescribed for illnesses that the photographer didn't have. It became a journey of self-discovery for the artist, and a constant struggle of coming to terms with sickness that is not easily resolved. Over the course of seven months, the photographer watched herself slowly deteriorate, as she tried to grapple with something that she had no control over. An invisible illness consumed her daily life, from the inside out, leaving her feeling completely isolated from those around her who couldn't understand or see her sickness. To date, she still has no answers.
About the Artist:
Heather Rattray is a Vancouver-born, Toronto-based artist and photographer. Her work deals with topics related to personal discovery, identity, and sexuality.
Most recently, she had her first solo show entitled “The Virginity Project”. Studying photography since 2015, Heather is currently attending the School of Image Arts at Ryerson University.
Artist Media Links:
Website: http://www.heatherrattray.com
Instagram: @heatherrattrayphoto