Kathleen
Sanker

The Unmade Bed

The Unmade Bed, an ongoing project initiated in 2005, delves into the remnants left behind as one vacates their bed upon rising. Adopting an anthropological yet emotive lens, it examines environmental portraiture. The bed, a profoundly personal object-space carrying significant emotional weight, oscillates between the ordinary and the sacred. It manifests as a sanctuary of tranquillity, respite, leisure, and intimacy, yet equally, it can narrate tales of violence, loss, and suffering. Our bedrooms, often the most intimate spaces we inhabit, are usually concealed from the public eye and the transient traces of our activities within them quickly disappear.

The imagery may unintentionally unveil the choices, preferences, and habits of the bed's occupant, similar to how a portrait might expose the sitter's tastes and persona. However, these visuals possess a more private and ambiguous character, leaving viewers with an impression of a lingering presence. This may prompt them to weave a narrative based on the indelible imprints left by the owner, to infer and form conjectures about the individuals and events that once occurred within this space. As a result, these seemingly mundane spaces evolve into subjects under subtly voyeuristic scrutiny; the private turns public, the ordinary becomes captivating, the commonplace exotic.