Ruthella’s project Mums in the Fishtank (again) draws from personal archives, childhood photographs and documents generated during their years within the care system. What began with a single image of a childhood pet fish expands into a wider examination of memory, loss and early displacement. These photographs, once markers of comfort, now stand as evidence of a life before intervention, prompting the question of what might have remained intact if the tank had been a place of safety rather than surveillance.
Through immersive sculpture and found materials, Dafnis rebuilds these archival fragments into forms that confront the realities of homelessness, institutional oversight and disrupted education. Their practice places weight on objects that carry the residue of lived experience, inviting viewers to engage with stories often left unspoken.
After navigating significant instability throughout their youth, Dafnis went on to graduate from the University of Edinburgh. Their work continues their commitment to exposing the politics of the care system, class and identity, and to reclaiming authorship over narratives too often forgotten.
