Natalia González Acosta

Photography - BA (Hons)

Final Major Project: New Citizens

Natalia's practice is rooted in social documentary photography, where she explores the complex concepts of home and cultural identity by analysing the current socio-political climate. By using photography as a tool to get access, she is interested in the ethics of representation and the collaborative aspects that surround any project. Additionally, as an assistant curator and a gallery assistant, she is fascinated by photography’s capacity to reach an audience and the way its presentation and context affects its interpretation.

New Citizens
Since 2016, the Brexit referendum has caused an unstated uncertainty across the nation which has resulted in a significant increase in applications for British citizenship. New Citizens, therefore, captures the lives of Martin, from Czech Republic, Isabela from Romania, Humberto from Colombia and Adam from Greece, who recently took the Life in the UK Test and are now British. The body of work focuses on the link between citizenship and identity by reflecting on the relationship created with the place chosen as ‘home’. And questions if the connection to their environments is indeed enhanced by acquiring British citizenship.