'Aftertaste' by Alice Durham is an artist's book created as part of the graduate exhibition 'Packed Lunch' in 2022.
‘Aftertaste’ is an autobiographical reflection of my inner conflicts of a non-linear process of recovery. A visual representation of my contending with addiction, the project depicts my experience of an eating disorder and alcoholism, alongside other forms of self-harm.
Throughout ‘Aftertaste’ I convey the attempt to regulate emotions and erratic mood, as I strive to deter impulsive, self-destructive behaviours which appear to create stability. Within, the fear of abandonment becomes prominent alongside the need for validation and connection, as self-worth and identity are questioned. The foreboding feeling of dissociation and deflation presents itself through metaphors as destructive coping mechanisms control daily routine.
‘Aftertaste’ is a realisation that in order to find connections in the present, you must address your past.
