Installation at the Katzen Art Center, 2022.
This photograph collection features selfies taken by healthcare workers during the Covid-19 pandemic. Through text messages, emails, and social media posts, Hartley gathered images of friends, family, coworkers, and strangers from around the world. Providing her own selfie as an example, she offered few instructions.
Panoramic view of the installation at the Katzen Art Center at American University, 2022. Photo by Dylan Singleton.
With each selfie, healthcare workers from various countries, roles, and backgrounds offer solidarity through intimate moments of pain and resilience. After struggling with her own mental health throughout the pandemic, Katie found an unexpected community in these photos. Humor, sadness, fear, despair, and hope become avenues for caregivers to feel seen and cared for.
Detail of photograph installation at the Katzen Art Center at American University, 2022. Photo by Dylan Singleton.
Submissions are always open. Send your selfie to Katie at katiehartleyart@gmail.com.
The collection includes 400+ photos. Above are forty-six from the 2022 installation.