As part of the Global Open Call “Women by Women”, PhotoVogue has awarded three grants to outstanding participants: Myriam Boulos (Lebanon), Alice Poyzer (UK), and Laila Annmarie Stevens (USA).
We had a conversation with Alice Poyzer, who received the Vision Grant, awarded to an artist with a compelling and unique perspective.
Alice Poyzer is a British photographer, based in Lincolnshire. In her work she mixes documentary, portraiture and constructed imagery, centring her practice around the desire to be seen and heard as a neurodivergent woman.
She discussed with us her project Other Joys, in which she explores the intense passion that neurodivergent people experience toward their special interests. Her work teeters between excitement and joy, and a veil of uneasiness — the raw light of the flash acting as a signifier of the discomfort often felt by neurodivergent individuals. The photographs are deeply sensorial, reflecting the comfort the artist needs in order not to feel overwhelmed. Other Joys alternates between self-portraits, each distinct from the next, capturing the moods Poyzer adopts to fit in, and repetitions of symbols that represent her need for routine. Poyzer’s work depicts, with both strength and delicacy, her experience of autism — still too often overlooked and belittled in society — without shying away from discomfort or eeriness, instead transforming them into self-acceptance and understanding.
How did you first approach photography?
My first approach to photography was when I was much younger, around the age of eleven. Spending my childhood surrounded by film negatives and handmade prints belonging to my grandpa (who was a professional photographer at a time when digital was not an option), really influenced the direction my life took. When my grandpa George was around my age, back in the 40’s/50’s he shot black and white with heavy flash lighting, very similar to how I shoot now, all these years later.
What does photography give you that makes you feel safe? How do you find comfort in this medium?
I don’t think I always feel safe in photography, as there is a lot of experimentation in my work with unknown outcomes - but there is a real comfort in knowing I’m doing something I love. I strongly believe anyone can always learn more from their art, be it new techniques or approach or whatever - and because of this, photography has always given me that joy, that perhaps other things in life just can’t provide. Like a lot of photographers and artists, at times I have immense imposter syndrome to the point where I feel that I’m not getting anywhere with my work. Yet, I find that in reality I’m a very good photographer - and I think the reasoning behind this boils down to photography being my safe space.
Does your choice of black and white have a specific meaning?
Yes and no. Yes because black and white photography with the use of heavy flash is visually very harsh and very intense. I wanted to emulate this feeling in ‘Other Joys’ to give the viewer a slight understanding of how I feel as someone with autism, where at times you can feel overwhelmed with the intensity of your surroundings. There’s times in a body of work where the use of colour is appropriate and needed, but I think one of the reasons ‘Other Joys’ has done well is because the imagery takes you to somewhere different, where you’re not entirely sure how you even got there in the first place.
However, I would also say that I shoot the way I do for the simple reason that I love doing so. I mentioned in an artist talk once at Paris Photo that just like a painter might choose acrylic or water colour, I choose black and white because it is what my gut tells me to do.
What can neurotypical people do to create spaces where neurodivergent people feel comfortable exploring and sharing their passions?
Now more than ever, there is an immense amount of misinformation on autism - and when something is not understood, it is seen as different and that becomes very dangerous for autistic people. We only need to look at the events earlier this year when RFK Junior stated that autism destroys families. He went onto say that autistic people would never pay taxes, would never go on a date and never write a poem. In reality, a lot of autistic people do at least one of those three things, if not all of them. I believe most importantly, in order to create a space where neurodivergent people feel safe enough to talk about their passions, we first need the space to be listened to and understood correctly - instead of vilified and othered. I don’t necessarily have the answers to this, but I think it starts by challenging statements that only seek to hurt us and divide us.
What projects are you currently working on or planning for the future?
I’m working on three new bodies of work currently (besides ‘Other Joys’), one of which I can talk about fully. ‘Miss Lincolnshire’ follows both the personal and professional life of autistic pageant queen Mary Jennings as she competes to uphold her title, and it’s something that I’m incredibly excited to continue making. When I initially approached Mary, I didn’t know she had autism - and it wasn’t my intention to make another project that focuses on a neurodivergent person - but it’s made me invested in her journey on a very personal level.
Discover also:
Laila Annmarie Stevens s interview
Myriam Boulos s interview
