Emotional Alchemy (Norwegian: Emosjonell alkymi), a series by Sissel Annett, grew out of her travels through Romania, India, and the Americas, where she spent years listening to people recount their traumatic life experiences.
Against a backdrop of psychological vulnerability, Emotional Alchemy addresses the widespread but often unseen emotional aftermath of trauma. The series examines the inner alchemical process through which pain may be transformed into healing, love, understanding, strength, personal growth, hope, and compassion, while in others it may lead to darkness, fear, or hatred. By hiding her subjects’ faces, Annett redirects attention from who they are to what they feel, encouraging a more personal response from viewers.
Visually, the series is rendered in black-and-white, using analogue film. Figures appear in chiaroscuro settings, surrounded by shadows that evoke memory and introspection. The compositions often suggest stillness, imbuing the images with a meditative, layered quality.
Technically speaking, Annett relies on traditional darkroom methods, rejecting digital post-production in favor of hand-crafted experimentation. She integrates drawing, painting, and photograms into her process, embracing "happy accidents" that lend texture and unpredictability.
Exhibited in Norway, Poland, and at Australia’s Head On Photo Festival, Emotional Alchemy has drawn sustained audience engagement for its analogue, mixed-media approach to depicting trauma and recovery, situating the series within international discussions of emotion in contemporary photography.
