Gwen Datyner

“50% of women say they always or often feel unsafe walking alone at night. 61% of women regularly take steps to avoid being sexually assaulted (YouGov, Mar 2019)” For women living in any city, travelling home late at night, whether after a late-night shift or night out, can be a daunting task and leave them with feelings of high anxiety. As an artist and photographer, I wanted to create images that explored the fear of the trek home and the issues facing women as they make these journeys. In my work, I aim to create a frisson awakened by the viewer’s contemplation. I enjoy making work about social issues and want to open a dialogue between the work and members of the audience. To initiate this project, I asked women on my Instagram and my family and friends what they do when they are traveling alone at night to help gain a better understanding of the precautions women have to take. I then exaggerated their responses to create these fantasies in my photographs, magnifying feelings of anxiety and concern.