About Me
I’m Eve, a Fashion Communication graduate from Heriot-Watt University
Eve Collen is a Scottish creative who specialises in photography and publication creation. In her final year of university as a Fashion Communication student, she created Effigy and Dweller, two publications celebrating different aspects of Scottish history. Both deal with contemporary issues and reflect on her homeland's past.
I chose to pursue personal and culturally current topics for my graduate project. By looking at ancient Scottish tradition and its history of witch trials, I learned a lot about the country I'm from and grew to appreciate its rich but often horrifying history. I have made relevant connections to the past and considered how we should learn from them today. I hope for Effigy and Dweller to shed light on those who were unjustly accused so that I can perhaps find some beauty within their experiences and thus, dedicate it to them.
INSPIRATION
These women were cast out, tortured, and sent to their deaths. I will not forget their stories.
Effigy explores new ideas surrounding the history of the accused witches of Scotland and the stereotypes in local folklore that influenced these events. The real accounts of the accused witches evoked a strong emotional response in me and pushed me to create a publication with a purpose- the purpose being, to dedicate something with significance to those who unjustly lost their lives.
Practices labelled as 'witchcraft' can sometimes be traced back to Scotland's associations with Paganism and Druidry. Years ago many nature-based practices were misunderstood, and so the inspiration for my photography portfolio Dweller came about by wanting to celebrate old cultural rituals. Dweller is presented as a visual calendar which guides you through 6 different celebrations, all of which are heavily inspired by the symbolism and folklore associated with them.
MY WORK
PORTFOLIOS
Coven
Coven
Coven
Coven
Endpaper Design for 'Effigy' (illustrated)
A Bonnie Warming (tribute to Janet Horne)
A Bonnie Warming (tribute to Janet Horne)
A Bonnie Warming (tribute to Janet Horne)
Imbolc
Imbolc
LĂ na Caillich
LĂ na Caillich
Beltane
Beltane
Litha
Litha
Lammas
Samhain
Samhain
DETAIL
Crafting using natural materials allows me to connect with the Earth and my heritage.
I wanted to bring my photography to life by creating an ethereal world for my 'characters' to live in. When styling shoots I became interested in hand-making different garments and props which would represent each narrative, making each one distinct. You can also see this in the complementary film I produced to showcase my two publications. I shot outdoors for nearly every narrative, emphasising how important the role nature plays in the overall concept of my publications. Throughout my work I have taken influence from films such as The Wicker Man (1973), The Witch (2015) and Suspiria (2018). Producing a film has pushed me to hone my personal aesthetic and has allowed me to push the messages of Effigy and Dweller to a like-minded audience.
"We're all ghosts. We all carry, inside us, people who came before us." - Liam Callanan
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