Fall 2023 Documentary Showcase Pappas

This collection of photographs is a map that leads beyond the boundaries of Oxford, while simultaneously existing distinctly within them. Through the intimacy that I have formed within the space and with those that make up its community, I explore how my presence here is understood and how the area exists as an emblem for the world beyond it. Documenting Oxford in this way has led me on an exploration of themes such as destruction, renewal, and liminal spaces – both small and large. These concepts symbolize the connection between the town and the world at large and also give room for me to coexist within each as I consistently form and reform the idea of the spaces that I occupy. As the borders between the real and imaginary are built and broken down, I am better able to understand the transient nature of my experiences in Oxford and the constant ebb and flow that accompanies the town and the world beyond it.