Julia Fullerton-Batten’s 2023 photographic series “Fault Line, Magnitude 7.8” emerges from a moment when a planned journey to Cappadocia was abruptly reframed by the devastating earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria just days before her departure. The disaster, which caused massive loss of life and widespread destruction, deeply affected the photographer, particularly because of her existing connection to the region through previous collaborations and invitations. Rather than abandoning the trip entirely, she continued with the visit after a short delay, capturing the region’s distinctive landscapes while carrying the emotional weight of recent events. From this experience, the project took shape as a deliberate effort to sustain attention on a catastrophe that risked fading from public consciousness, while also generating financial support for those impacted.
The resulting body of work combines studio-based portraits with landscape imagery from Cappadocia, constructing a visual language grounded in metaphor rather than direct documentation. Participants — including dancers, performers, artists, and individuals connected to the disaster — were photographed mid-air, often using a trampoline to simulate suspension, evoking the violent disorientation caused by the earthquakes. These figures appear calm and weightless, a striking contrast to the chaos that inspired the project, reinforcing themes of fragility and human vulnerability in the face of natural forces. The compositions were further shaped through careful post-production, aligning lighting and perspective to seamlessly merge studio figures with outdoor environments. The inclusion of flowing garments by designer Bora Aksu and styling by Leith Clark added movement and texture, enhancing the theatrical quality of the images while maintaining a restrained emotional tone.
Beyond its visual construction, the project was conceived with a clear functional purpose: to translate artistic production into tangible support. A series of limited-edition prints was released, with proceeds directed toward charities assisting earthquake survivors, reflecting the artist’s intention to contribute in a practical way through her practice. The work avoids explicit depictions of destruction, instead operating through suggestion and symbolic contrast, where serenity becomes a vehicle for addressing trauma. By bringing together members of the Turkish community and collaborators from different creative fields, the series also reflects a broader network of solidarity, positioning photography as both a medium of expression and a mechanism for sustained engagement with the long-term consequences of the disaster.
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in Bahia.