ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
KENT ARTIST PROFILE :
CARA MACNALLY
CARA MACNALLY ’ S FASCINATION WITH DETERIORATION HAS TAKEN HER TO ALL CORNERS OF THE PLANET . SHE HAS PHOTOGRAPHED ITALIAN BUILDINGS FROZEN IN TIME , EXPLORED MONTENEGRO ’ S HEARTBREAKING STRAY CAT ISSUES , AND HELPED ISOLATED COMMUNITIES SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT THE DEVASTATING EFFECTS OF DEFORESTATION IN BORNEO . insideKENT SAT DOWN WITH THIS PHOTOGRAPHER ON A MISSION TO FIND OUT WHERE HER PASSION STEMS FROM , WHY SHE WANTS TO EDUCATE US ON SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SUBJECTS AFFECTING OUR WORLD TODAY , AND HOW HER TRAVELS HAVE AFFECTED THE WOMEN BEHIND THE LENS .
You have travelled all over the world , and have taken some breathtaking images . What do you think is the most amazing thing you have photographed ?
In 2018 I went on a five-day road trip around Italy , visiting twenty-three unique locations that had been deserted for decades . This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience . The architecture was just astonishing and was full of elegant murals with the most stunning and intricate details . My favourite part about exploring these incredible places was discovering everything that had been left behind , such as used glasses which remained sitting on dining room tables , vinyl records that were left inside their players and the clothes that still hung within the wardrobes . It was like seeing a frozen moment in time . I felt absolutely in awe and was full of emotions whilst inside these buildings .
Has experiencing different cultures changed your outlook on life ?
Most certainly . In 2019 , whilst staying in the remote village of Sembuluh in Borneo , Indonesia , I became intrigued by how differently people lived . I was the first non-native that they had seen in many years and they welcomed me with open arms . I stayed in Sembuluh to document how the negative impacts of deforestation were , and still are , affecting the indigenous people . What amazed me most was how passionate they were about their land . They were so caring and giving , which taught me to be far more grateful for what I have in life .
Your photography has an overarching theme of deterioration , can you tell us a little about why this subject inspires you so much ?
I have always been drawn to the unusual beauty of deterioration and how this can captivate the viewer . Something as eerie and timeworn as an abandoned building can still appear so tranquil despite its decaying state . I am also a huge empath , so my aim is to find issues that I am deeply passionate about and try to help in any way that I can , such as donating my photographic work to charitable organisations and travelling to remote locations to document the lives of those affected by deforestation and other global issues .
What is your biggest achievement / highlight of your career so far ?
My biggest achievement so far has been travelling to Indonesia on my own for one month when I was 20 for my project ‘ Orang-Utan ’. Whilst there , I captured the crisis that local communities were facing due to deforestation . It was a very busy month with twelve flights in total , travelling all over Indonesia to document the issue . I plan to head back to Borneo in 2022 to continue working on this story . This project was awarded in The Independent Photographer : Visual Storytelling Award 2019 and the Budapest International Foto Awards 2019 .
Where can we find your work ?
You can go to my website www . caramacnallyphotographic . co . uk to find all of my projects and can see what I am up to right now on my Instagram @ caramacnally .
24