Trophy

See Laura Noel’s work in WTP Vol. VI #1

archival print
20″ x 16″

‘The inside dog barks the loudest.’

A friend mentioned this phrase in a casual conversation about two years ago, and since then, I have been ruminating on these words. The idea of the inside dog needles me because the meaning is both obvious and elusive. How can I be me and at the same time be standing outside of myself looking inward to see me? How can I not understand more of myself since I am the person I know most intimately? It seems the inside dog can never be fully known, even though this beast is me.

The pictures here are self-portraits, but don’t literally depict my body or face, just as the dog/self is hidden. These images aren’t a diary either, rather they incorporate objects that suggest the act of creating—sewing, writing, cooking, foraging, and so forth. I carefully selected objects that contain a personal meaning, but are also ordinary and universal. These different materials work as a metaphor for making or changing or transforming. The raw material a person is born with is shaped by genetics and environment, but we also create ourselves to some extent. The struggle inherent in trying to become something or someone specific gives rise to the duality of the self.”

Laura Noel’s work is in the collection of The High Museum of Art, George Eastman House, Ogden Museum, MOCA GA, and a number of private and public collections. She was awarded her MFA in Photography with Distinction from the University of Georgia. Her prints have been published in the collections of the International Center of Photography library in New York, The Houston Museum of Fine Art, The Cleveland Art Institute, The Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas, and in numerous journals.