Artist Statement

‘Stages of Being’ is a group of photographs taken at different times over the years, in different locations and by using different methods, but they all have one thing in common: snippets embedded in time. Whether you are familiar with the stories behind them or not, they are there, hiding in plain sight. There’s a reason behind the saying: “A picture says a thousand words”, and this is what photography is to me: seizing stages of being that tell a story, reflections of us, endless moments frozen, not to be forgotten.

In 2023, I went to an exhibition in the Powerhouse Museum (Sydney, Australia) called ‘Atmospheric Memory’. I wrote about this in my interview with Spillwords in 2023. The idea came from Charles Babbage (early 19th century), who suggested that every word ever spoken leaves a permanent trace in the air. As the inventor of the first computer, he imagined one so advanced as to be able to calculate the movements of all air molecules. The idea was radical—to be able to reverse the paths our voices generated – once upon a time - so they could be recreated again. As a result, nothing could ever be lost, and we would benefit (or not) from hidden truths. And 200 years later, his words still seem to linger somewhere in the air. Such is the impact of progressive thought. Such is the impact of art.

I still call myself an amateur photographer, though it’s been four years of consistent publications (some paid, some not) and a few awards under my belt, but professional doesn’t seem right. It implies that I know what I’m doing, and more often than not, I play it by ear. Whatever the ‘right’ name is, that part of me is the part I always felt comfortable with, since the early days of using my grandpa’s vintage camera with a flash cube. That was my way of observing the world and coping with its reality. And as a former refugee, I know how fragile ‘today’ can be.

Looking back at my life, I never really stopped taking photos; the difference is that now I’m not doing it only for my sense of self but to leave a legacy of sorts, mainly for my daughter, something tangible to hold onto. It is my way of leaving slivers of my being behind so she can get glimpses of them once I’m gone. I’d like her to get to know this part of me through my eyes, the part of me that is not just Mum. I’d like her to know that she can be all and more, no matter what life throws at her.

I firmly believe that we should never underestimate the impact of art, no matter the form.

Artist Biography

Andrea Damic, born in Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina, lives and works in Sydney, Australia. She wears many hats as her daughter likes to remind her. Andrea is an artist and writer. Her education is opposite to artistic expression—she's an accountant with a master's degree in Economics. She believes there's something cathartic about seeing your words and art out in the world. She is also a contributing editor for Pictura Journal. Her photographs have received various commendations and awards. Andrea is especially proud of having been published on the covers of Gone Lawn, Door Is A Jar Literary Magazine, Rat's Ass Review, Molecule: A Tiny Lit Mag and Pictura Journal. Her photograph 'Lost for Words' has been nominated for Best of the Net 2025 by Gone Lawn. She spends many an hour fiddling with her website https://damicandrea.wordpress.com/.