Léonie Purchas, working under her marital name Léonie Hampton, launched the book, IN THE SHADOW OF THINGS at the opening of an exhibition of the work at Forma Gallery in Milan on 24th March 2011.
Sometimes the world must turn upside down
A mother becomes a daughter becomes a mother
The book is a moving record of Léonie’s attempts to help her mother deal with problems caused by OCD. Four years ago she began to help her mother clear the boxes and objects that were taking over the house. It soon became apparent that these immovable boxes carried with them the full weight of the past, and that by opening them together they had released a tide of emotions that would not subside easily.
The book combines Léonie's photography with collections of family photographs and transcriptions of conversations, arguments and extraordinary monologues recorded by Léonie during this period.
The book was published in the UK in May 2011.
Read essays on the work in TEXTS or see previous gallery presentations of the project in INSTALLATIONS