About

Eliza Stephens is a Suffolk based visual artist whose work focuses on documenting social aspects and the realities of hers and her friends lives. With over 20 years experience as story teller and editor in broadcast documentary television Eliza has now moved her attention to telling stories within the photographic medium.

“I want to tell stories with 12 frames instead of using hours of footage shot over many months, I believe a photograph can express the true essence of life”.

Eliza and has worked on many ground breaking documentaries and was part of the team that won The Grierson, Broadcast and Royal television awards for best documentary in 2016. ‘Here Come The Romanians’ was produced by Keo Films for channel 4.

Eliza is passionate about food and education and has had two cookery books published, she also runs a lively and successful Thai restaurant and bar on the Suffolk coast.

Recent photographic projects include

Corona vision – An exploration into the realms of Hyper Reality and the Main Stream Medias representations of the pandemic during the first wave of 2020. Using the portal of televisions as the eye of God combined with the enforced isolation of lockdown, this project narrates the first 60 days of this life altering global event. Exhibition Project, ongoing.

Dust to Dust – An exploration of hoarding and grief and attachment. A personal investigation into the objects that surround us, how we perceive a form of protection when really we are surrounded by a wall of grief and a lack of self validation. ultimately an investigation into concepts of mortality, eternity, acceptance and ceremony leading to a path of meditative spirutuality. 2020 Ongoing ( ANTHROPOMORPHISATION – Attribution of human motivation, characteristics, or behaviour to inanimate objects, animals, or natural phenomena. )

Not Drowning – a study following the rhythms of a woman’s daily life, her moments of joy taken while she navigats the demands of looking after elderly parents as their full time carer. Balancing herself with daily swims in the North Sea, art and other moments of self invigoration. 2019

Dancing with trains – Life and death in the treatment centre. A documentary project following the lives of a group of people in treatment for mental health issues. Their struggles and success for some but also the tragic death of others. 2019, book project.

Bish Bosh – Turn your back on cancer. An intermit portrait of a cancer diagnosis, The initial cycle of treatment, getting the all clear and then told there was a mistake and the diagnosis was now terminal. 2018, ongoing

Road Rash – The mistaken pride of a cyclist who is rescued from a fall. 2018