DEMARCATION
Photography by Sophie Mayanne
London based photographer introduces her newest personal project. “My project “Demarcation” began in around August 2015, when the first of some of my closest friends moved back home, due to their visas running out. I watched friends return to homes they no longer felt home – and felt an underlying guilt that I had something they could not. Friends I once saw everyday are now confined to online spaces, unsure of when, or if, they will ever be face to face again. Demarcation is about telling these stories – the feeling of instability, plight and being in limbo.
The third in the series is Dasha Kova, a friend that I worked with, loved, argued with, lived on her floor for a while, and created a phenomenal amount of images with. We laughed, we cried. We fired each other as best friends, spent our last weekend together in Legoland. She’s had ups and downs, but has one of the strongest hearts I know, and whether we were working together, or laughing together, it was intuitive. Now we share our lives online.
The word demarcation means “The action of fixing the boundary or limits of something”. What I found difficult as I watched my friends tire endlessly in looking for ways to stay, and each way they turned it felt at times another door was shut. After living somewhere for 3 years, building a new life and a circle of friends, in a new country miles away from home – ask yourself one question – would you want to pack up your bags and leave because your passport instructs you to do so?
Demarcation is an ongoing project, and looking for more people to take part, and share their stories. For any inquiries, or to participate in the project please contact sophiemayanne@gmail.com or visit www.sophie-mayanne.com
Dasan Connors-Hart / 20 / Australia.
I came to London in early 2014 after a failed attempt to see the Rolling Stones in Sydney led me to Paris to watch them – which eventually turned into getting a 2-year visa for the UK. I came to London with no expectations and no friends, within a month I’d found a job, a boat to live on and a group of people that I still call my best friends today.
Living here has taught me many things. Most of all its taught me how to be independent which I think is essential for any person to feel in early stages of adulthood. I suppose moving anywhere where you’re disconnected from what is usually comfortable forces this upon a person but for me and many others this place was London and for that I am grateful. Leaving has been strange, though not sad. It’s something that’s always in the back of your mind whilst on a visa and I think can really motivate you to try new things and also set limitations on what you can do so naturally you just try and be in the moment and enjoy the day. Not being able to live in a place that feels like home is unsettling although I don’t like to think of anything as permanent, the relationships I’ve made and experiences I’ve had mean more to me than passport controls and borders and I don’t see my time in London as over as long as I still have these memories.
Dasha Moseikova /22/ Russian (Photographed October 2015)
I came to London to do my BA in Fashion Styling..and I had no idea what it is and what it’d be like really to live in this city. In my first year I’ve experienced what is it like to be a freshman living at halls…it was fun! During this year, I met some amazing people who changed the way I look at the world in general, and made me believe in myself; I tried a lot of new things good and bad, went to my first festival and spent my first night in a tent..and loved it, never thought I could do that. Thankfully, I got a bit more serious after that. During my summer break I did a styling internship – where I actually learned what styling is about, and not long after that I started doing my own thing. It was a lot of hit and miss in the beginning.. too much pink, but meeting some great creatives in the very beginning helped me to figure things out. For the first time I was doing something I love and, don’t wanna seem big-headed, but was actually quite successful at it. And I can’t be more thankful for people I had a chance to work with, some of them became my best friends. It all just happened so quickly and naturally. I’ve been asked so many times “Were you scared to move to a completely different country knowing no one?”.
No, I was never scared, the only thing I was scared about is to go back to where I came from. Of course, you struggle a lot living in London, but it’s nothing compare to the opportunities it gives you. When i had nowhere to live – I always had my friends floor to sleep on (thanks to that friend btw), when I had no money to get a bus – I walked or there was always someone to help me out, we always managed to have a good time having nothing in our pockets. Coming to London meant freedom for me, personal and creative, for the first time on my life I had an opportunity to explore who I really am, what I actually want to do, without anyones permission or approval. It’ s creativity is inspiring, I learned to play drums and bought my first guitar, started painting again, I could go to another city/town just to go to a gig (and there was always someone who I could drag with me), I even wrote a few depressing poems, I could never have imagined myself doing any of this. London became my home, not home away from home, but my only home, and the people I met became my family and they will always stay in my heart, I was never lonely there. I miss you all xxx
Eliza Jane Murray, 23, Australian (Photographed August 2015)
I came to London when I was just 19 years old to study a BA in Fashion Styling at Istituto Marangoni. However that was never really my dream. I was originally enrolled in Sydney’s College of Fine Arts. However after a year of travelling following high school my eyes were open and my feet were too itchy to stay in Sydney. I was suddenly desperate to see every corner of the world so I came to the realisation that I should study abroad. I worked my butt off to convince my parents it was a good idea and finally landed a scholarship, which secured my one-way ticket. London has really become my second home after living here for three years.
It has honestly been the best three years of my life but also a very challenging experience. Being so far from home was difficult but the benefits of being in the middle of Europe in such a creative hub are endless. My styling work has fallen into huge publications, and I’ve unexpectedly stumbled back into the performing world. I may have also managed to gain a lot stamps in my passport…! I think living in London you get addicted to this fast paced life style. You never stop and you realize how hard you have to work to be on top of your game. A person once told me that life is a collection of experience. Your life and the legacy you leave will be as full or as empty as you make it. A change of perspective is like taking a long deep breath after a long day. It’s important to change things up in life, to look at things from different angles. I really think travelling gives you the distance you need to see your life from a renewed lens. Seeing another way of life is a great way to learn to appreciate your old one. I owe a huge chunk of my heart to all those special souls in my life who enjoyed the ride with me. I will really miss you London.
Hangna S Koh, South Korean (Photographed August 2015)
I came to London because I wanted to leave Japan and the madness there, so I chose somewhere as far away as possible that I had never visited. London was a city my mother lived in around the same age I was at that time and I coincidentally found a school that I could learn fashion styling. Coming to London was my last chance to prove to my parents and two little sisters that I could accomplish something and to say both thank you and sorry.
My home became London, that basically sums it all up. Having the nationality of South Korean, born in Japan, brought up in Australia most of my life, I never really had the sense of belonging anywhere. London changed my state of mind – it got me up on my feet and I did get to say a meaningful thank you and sorry through achievements here, both academically and personally. Who knows what kind of person I would have been without London, I’m too scared to even think about it.
