Poignant Portfolio no. 36: Morgan DeLuna
From the Editor
Hey friends, it’s been a few months since I’ve posted anything here so I’m elated to finally be sharing this portfolio by Morgan DeLuna. I was happy to publish some early versions of this series in Diffusion X and love how the work has evolved since then. DeLuna’s Norah is yet another example of how an artist dealing with darker subjects and trauma can lead to profoundly beautiful work. I hope you enjoy and please visit Morgan’s website and peruse her other portfolios, I’m especially fond of We Walk Tall. Thank you Morgan for sharing your work with us!
–Blue Mitchell @onetwelveprojects
NORAH
Traumatic events weave themselves into our identity and journey. Norah experiments with depicting visceral experiences of emotional states and memories. Childhood and intergenerational trauma live within my body and mind in a cyclical process of death, liminal space, and rebirth. Yet, my vivid reality is unseen by others. Moments of despair and hope, fear and peace, defeat and triumph, pass unmarked to the outside world.
My photograph-making process begins within the pages of a journal. First, I write, research, and sketch at length until images become salient in my mind. Then, working alone in my studio, I select sound and music to perform and capture vignettes in this narrative.
I title the pieces with numerological hints to deeper personal meanings behind each image. The series title references my birth name. I print the photographs on Kōzo washi (Mulberry paper) for the duality of its delicate appearance yet notably strong fiber.
–Morgan DeLuna
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About the Artist
Morgan DeLuna was born and raised in the suburbs of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Today she lives and works in Southern California. Growing up Midwestern in a Lebanese, Norwegian, and Ashkenazi interfaith family led her to explore themes of identity, appearance, and human connection from an early age. Morgan's visual arts practice integrates narrative, research, and her background in the performing arts to explore themes around the human condition and liminal space. Morgan's work has been exhibited in group exhibitions nationally and internationally, including the San Diego Art Institute, Los Angeles Center of Photography, The Rankin Arts Photography Center (RAPC) at Columbus State University, and Gallery FotoNostrum in Barcelona.