Leila Jeffreys on “Why We Photograph Animals”
July 26, 2024
In a recent interview published in Huw Lewis-Jones’ “Why We Photograph Animals” (2024), Leila Jeffreys shared some of the inspiration behind her series, “The wound is the place where light enters”, and spoke about some of the portraits that marked her the most – including her ‘Bleeding Heart Dove’ (see below).
Jeffreys began working on the series after the 2019-2020 bushfires that ravaged some of the Australian coast. Focussing on the regenerating force of nature, the series tells a story of hope. It calls viewers to search for light amognst destruction and, most importantly, to learn from it.
Read here a snapshot of the interview:
“The title [The wound is the place where light enters] is from a poem by the thirteenth-century Persian poet Rumi. The group of three animal portraits draws on the history of the dove as a symbol of hope and peace. There is also a Gouldian Finch, known for its seemingly bloodstained beak and finally; a Cut Throat Finch. To me, these three birds represent some ways in which nature appears to intertwine violence with staggering beauty.
I believe that hope can arise from the darkest places. The mounting ecological crisis and the global pandemic has put an end to old ways of living and being for many people. Nature, however, shows us that destruction can make way for creation and that death can pave the way for rebirth and renewal. By embracing our wounds, we have the chance to learn what they have to teach us. I think that when the world feels bleak, it’s the right time to awaken our hearts.
In this photo the message is of wounded nature – its lifeblood draining from it – a bleeding heart, a sacred heart. This creature’s gesture of redemption isn’t limited to humanity; it encompasses all living species, in a world where we are all connected. For me the works is a visual manifestation of Rumi’s insight.”
Leila Jeffreys, ‘Bleeding-heart’, The wound is the place where the light enters (2022), Photograph on archival fibre based cotton rag paper, 140 x 90cm, Ed. of 8 + 2 AP.
For the full interview, “Why We Photograph Animals” can be ordered here.
Or, read more about Lewis-Jones’ book in this recent review by The Guardian.