Monty

Ellie Brown

“I wonder if my heart will show tiny little holes when I’m one day laying lifeless and plucked apart. I’m like a blanket you’ve kept from childhood - fraying at the edges and no longer soft.” MONTY is a 23-minute road film examining distance, alienation, and silence. The project intends to intimately explore the effects of a difficult long-distance familial relationship and the frustration that comes with experiencing a loved one deeply suffering from afar. Rather than portraying the one who suffers, MONTY is about the related other. This project explores the difficulties and impact of accepting things that are out of one's control and the disconnect inherent in long-distance communication.

Ellie Brown

Ellie Lizbeth Brown is an American student based in Berlin. Her work consists of photography, video, writing, music and multi-media sculptures. The themes in her work largely revolve around childhood, memory, autobiographical fiction and world building. Often drawing on her own experiences and writing, she attempts to reshape, rehash and recombine memories into honest and intimate projects.

Where do you see yourself in 20 years?

I see myself hopefully owning a small store or publication to support smaller artists and friends and doing my own photography work on the side. If not that, then working as an arts therapist or teacher for kids.

What is a good design for you?

Good design is honest, intimate and not afraid to come across as “amateur”.

What was the most challenging experience during your studies?

I think this thesis project.

Who or what inspires you?

I'm inspired largely by the friends and people in my life. As far as artists, some of my current inspirations are Japanese photographers Leiko Shiga and Kyoji Takahashi, installation artist Lee Kit and painter Emma Larsson, American poet Fanny Howe and writer Dodie Bellamy.

How do you approach a new project?

It usually begins with a concrete visual idea and building and exploring the concept around that idea.

What advice would you give to students who just started studying in your programme?

Take advantage of the time you are given to explore and find your own visual language.

Have you changed during your studies? How?

I think I've definitely grown more confident with my work and my own photographic perspective.

Why did you choose to study in your programme?

I chose to study photography because it was what I liked to do as a kid growing up and I wanted to return to it.

What are you not going to miss in your studies?

I won't miss all of the deadlines.

How are you going to celebrate your graduation?

By not staring at my computer screen for a long time and planning personal projects I've been meaning to do!

Say hi!

1 comments in total

Alessandra Arcos 2021-02-12 19:11:40

This looks so good Ellie! Congratulations!

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