Isabella Akers

For most of my life, my father has been at a distance from my sister and me due to his struggles with substance abuse. His intermittent attempts at forming a relationship with us have caused a great deal of heartache, exacerbated by secrets that were intended to protect me.

As he continues to recover, I have chosen to depict the conflicting emotions between us through portraits, exploration of family photographs and empty domestic spaces. Showing the father who I remember when I was four years old, his absence and the new person he is becoming.