Amanda James

Statement:
In The Cusp of Reality, my Grandma’s memories are recreated into dreamlike realities. These reenactments identify fertility, femininity, beauty, and how they are lost with age. As my Grandma tried on some high-heeled shoes that she had not worn in several decades, her bad knees and long toenails made it impossible for her to walk in shoes that had once been a part of her life and identity.

These scenes were recreated to have a dreamlike cross between reality and imagination. When my Grandma remembers her virgin wedding night, she is in her older body inhibiting the space forcing her to face those feelings of anxiety and fear once again.

These memories represent universal moments in people’s lives such as fear, joy, pain, and happiness. All we truly have are our memories, which we recreate in our minds into our own realities.

Bio:
Amanda James is an honors graduate with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She plans on receiving her M.F.A. in photography in the next couple of years.

Amanda has been featured in Humble Arts Foundation, 1,000 Words Photography, F-stop Magazine, and File magazine. She has had shows exhibiting her work in galleries in Las Vegas, NV, Salt Lake City, UT, and Atlanta, GA.

Born and raised in Utah, Amanda currently lives and works in Salt Lake City, Utah. She is currently working on an ongoing project with her 97-year-old Grandma.

Artist’s Website: amandabentleyjames.com