Among the graduates exhibiting this year will be 30-year-old MA Photography student Ciara Hillyer, from Bristol.
Ciara was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (CF) when she was five days old – a genetic condition which creates a build-up of thick sticky mucus in the lungs, digestive system and other organs, causing a wide range of challenging symptoms affecting the entire body.
Ciara was given a suggested life expectancy, but thanks to advances in healthcare and the development of a new drug called Kaftrio, Ciara has reached a milestone which most people take for granted:
“I am incredibly proud of myself for getting this far. Reaching 30 when you weren’t supposed to reach 30, and you’re actually graduating with a Master’s degree is quite something.”
Photography as an outlet
Ciara started photography as a teenager; it provided a distraction during many visits to Bristol Children’s Hospital. She said:
“My camera came with me everywhere, even on the days when I wasn’t feeling very well because it gave me something to focus on.”
School-life was understandably tough as she missed quite a lot of time in the classroom. But the support she received from her teachers and her friends gave her the confidence to apply for a place to study photography at university.
She graduated from UWE Bristol with a BA(Hons) Photography in 2015 and was accepted onto the MA Photography in 2022.
Hospital as home
Her final project for her master’s degree is titled ‘Breathing Space’ and shines a spotlight on life with CF. Ciara explained:
“We were coming out of COVID and people were very familiar with seeing the inside of the hospital. Whilst that’s what I wanted to photograph, it wouldn’t have had the same impact, so I decided to make it more personal, a bit more poetic and quiet.”
The images are reflective and ‘photograph from feeling’ and record how she felt within the space photographed rather than the space itself. Nothing about it screams CF. It just narrates a beautiful, quiet experience of somebody with a chronic health condition. Ciara added:
“I think there’s a lot of fear around hospitals. But for me, as a long-term patient, even the smell of the corridors makes me feel safe.”
Breathing Space is about finding the peace, allowing myself to breathe and live in the moment.
“I thought it was important to show the calmer side of hospitals, the side that looks after you, that isn’t scary. Because if I’m really poorly, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be than the hospital. They’ve looked after me so much in the past and will for the rest of my life. It was really important for me to look at the side I’m grateful for.”
Watch our video of Ciara preparing for Showcase 2023:
Visit Showcase 2023
The exceptional talent of graduating students at the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) will be celebrated at the annual Degree Show this June.
Over 1000 undergraduates and postgraduates from the College of Arts, Technology and Environment will display their work through a mix of free physical exhibitions between 8 and 15 June, alongside a digital showcase.
