Brooke Koehler
Do·mes·ti·ca·tion
/dəˌmestəˈkāSH(ə)n/noun
-the process of taming an animal and keeping it as a pet or on a farm.
-the process of making someone fond of and good at home life and the tasks that it involves.
Domestication is a series of photographs that depict domestic scenarios
occurring in unexpected environments, challenging the mundane and
inviting viewers to question the societal boundaries of everyday life.
These photographs connect people through humor and highlight the
playful side of life. In a world often filled with seriousness, they offer
moments of relief and connection, reminding viewers of the importance
of joy.
I seek to peel back the layers of societal norms, revealing the absurdity that often goes unnoticed in our daily routines. Vibrant and saturated color adds a pop of play and makes my work visually pleasing. I find the subjects for my photographs in familiar settings. The models are often part of my social circle and the objects come from my home, friends’ homes, or places I frequent in my daily life. Photographing familiar objects, like a vacuum or a pile of laundry, allows me to connect with an audience through a shared domestic experience. By using everyday objects and repurposing them in unconventional ways, I disrupt the viewer’s preconceived notions of domesticity.
The level of social absurdity in the photographs is amplified by elegant costuming or objects that read sophistication, like a gold framed mirror or a white linen tablecloth, juxtaposed against casual backdrops. I also use color, domestic labor, and space to subvert gender norms. A young man dressed in a pink pantsuit vacuums the grass outdoors. Laundry is piled high inside of a garden wheelbarrow displaced in the living room. This incongruity calls our societal expectations of domestic roles into question while celebrating the unexpected. It is a playful twist on the ordinary, an homage to everyday life.
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I seek to peel back the layers of societal norms, revealing the absurdity that often goes unnoticed in our daily routines. Vibrant and saturated color adds a pop of play and makes my work visually pleasing. I find the subjects for my photographs in familiar settings. The models are often part of my social circle and the objects come from my home, friends’ homes, or places I frequent in my daily life. Photographing familiar objects, like a vacuum or a pile of laundry, allows me to connect with an audience through a shared domestic experience. By using everyday objects and repurposing them in unconventional ways, I disrupt the viewer’s preconceived notions of domesticity.
The level of social absurdity in the photographs is amplified by elegant costuming or objects that read sophistication, like a gold framed mirror or a white linen tablecloth, juxtaposed against casual backdrops. I also use color, domestic labor, and space to subvert gender norms. A young man dressed in a pink pantsuit vacuums the grass outdoors. Laundry is piled high inside of a garden wheelbarrow displaced in the living room. This incongruity calls our societal expectations of domestic roles into question while celebrating the unexpected. It is a playful twist on the ordinary, an homage to everyday life.
