Megan Shaughnessy

Interview with Film Artist, Megan Shaughnessy:


GLVBX:  What was the concept behind 'indiscernible self'?

































MS:  There are several concepts that are slowly revealed throughout the film, however, the main thread is the struggle with identity and representation, dealing with the tension and separation between an individual's inner and outer worlds. This theme is present in all of my work and one of the main reasons why I use myself as the
subject. The use of the repeating beveled window represents a barrier between the outside world and the inner self and also mirrors the sense of internal struggle with individual identity. 


GLVBX:  Why did you choose to do a silent, black and white film?


































MS:  I wanted this film to feel as though it was caught in time and for me black and white film always represents a sense of nostalgia as well as encapsulating a timeless quality. I have always worked in silence and I feel, particularly for this work, that it intensifies the mood that is captured.


GLVBX:  Are you often the subject in your work?


































MS:  Yes. I started taking self-portraits about 12 years ago while I was in school. Originally this was because I really didn'thave the money to pay for models, but in the end it turned out that I actually enjoyed the solitude of
 working by myself as well as finding that I could communicate my ideas better without a third party.



GLVBX:  When did you start your film career?






MS:  I was always interested in photography and made that my primary medium, but it wasn't until I moved to the UK to undertake my masters that I really 
started to focus on film. I set out working on the juxtaposition of still and moving images, but it wasn't until I started working for a film archive in the UK that I really experimented with film. During my time at the archive I found that I was drawn to the old silent home movies, they told stories and held memories, which ultimately inspired me to purchase a 16mm camera and I have been creating short films ever since.



GLVBX:  Whom or what are your influences on your work?


MS:  I'm really inspired by artists who like to think outside the
box as well as combining several mediums together to create thought
provoking work, such as Maya Deren's 1943 film "Meshes of the Afternoon", 
Chris Marker's film La Jetée of 1962 where he used almost all stills to create a 
wonderfully haunting futuristic tale, and SamTaylor-Wood's short film made in 
2001 entitled "Still Life" which is imbued with layers of meaning about life and art.


GLVBX:  What can we see from you next?


MS:  Currently I'm working on a series of short films called
"Sleeping States" which are a succession of images, thoughts and
emotions that are based on nonlinear narratives. I am also working on
several photographic projects with a fellow artist, Emma
Shipton-Smith, the most recent entitled "Merged" are a series of dual
self-portraits. Because I have never worked with sound before, I am
also very interested in collaborating with a friend who is composer in
the UK, hopefully incorporating some of his work with my films.