Female Gaze - Float Photo Magazine

Page 1


Editors Dana Stirling Yoav Friedlander Contributing Photographers Angela Strassheim Liron Kroll Melissa Spitz Jennifer Loeber Aubrey Hays Alia Ali Clara Turchi Rose Julianne Nash Julia Borissova Sarah Hiatt Christina Arza Kelly O’Brien Leslie Sheryll

Contributing Writer Nechama Winston Cover Angela Strassheim Back Cover Alia Ali Contact floatzine@gmail.com

All images Published in Float Magazine are the sole property of the featured authors (photographers, contributers and editors) and subject to copy-rights. No image or text may be reproduced, edited, copied or distributed without the express written permission of its legal owner. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, digital or mechanical, printed, edited or distributed without the prior written consent of the publisher. All Rights Reseved.


Float v. float¡ed, float¡ing, floats Middle English floten, from Old English flotian; see pleu- in Indo-European roots. a. To remain suspended within or on the surface of a fluid without sinking; b. To be suspended in or move through space as if supported by a liquid; c. to put forth (as a proposal) for acceptance; to be lighter than air, and to move slowly through it; to suggest an idea for people to consider to see how they will react;


p hot o : Jo c e l e n Ja n on


i s s ue 6

F e ma le gaze



Angela Strassheim www.angelastrassheim.com


















Angela Strassheim

/ Te x t by Ne c h a m a Wi n s t on

New York a nd J erusa l em base d photograph e r

and th e u nca nny i n the everyd ay moments.

Ang e l a

IA)

Re fe r enc es to wa ter occu r rep ea ted ly i n p ools

se e saws b et ween t he d ua lit ie s th at exist in

(Je ssica Floa ti ng , 20 13 a nd Unti tled ( Ali cia i n

ca p t u r i ng t he rea l a nd t he pr e tend. T h e ar tist’ s

th e Pool ) ), i n b a throom s ( Self Portra i t In Pa rents

i mag e s

obsc ur e d

Bath r oom, 2008 ), a nd nea r food , a llu d i ng to a

memor i e s t ha t d evelo p wh il e th ink ing about

symbiosis b etween flesh a nd b lood ( Ja ni ne ( Ei ght

b ot h . St ra s shei m’s pi c t ur es can e it h e r func t ion

Mont h s P regna nt), 20 14 a nd Choi ces, 20 10). The

l ike a for en s i c pho t og ra ph for a c l inical study

ubiq uit ous presence of flu i d s a lso symb oli zes

or a s a momen t ex t ra c t ed fr om a st age d sc ene

th e c l ean si ng a nd eleva ti ng of the na tu ra l, whi le

i n a fa n t a sy r e- ena c t men t (Un t itl e d (L e ia) and

it simul ta neously references the messy, v iolent

S t ra s shei m

ra i s e

(b .

19 69,

q ues t ion s

Bloomfie l d,

ar ound

Un t i t l e d (Hors es )) . W hi l e h e r work push e s

and

sexua l.

Ru nni ng

wa ter,

pu re

spri ng s

t o b l u r t he d ef i n i t ion s a r ound tr ut h and

and chi ld hood play mesh wi th ori fi ces, “Th e t h ea t r i ca l d ra ma , i t a l s o examine s menstrua tion a nd a d u lthood . We s election t ran s for ma t ion s i n fema l e iden t ity, ex p eri ence the physi ca l a nd spi ri tua l of ph otograph s h ere mot h e rho o d a nd g i r l ho o d , a nd use s i n every si tua tion of sustena nce – from Stras s h eim’s New t h e dome s t i c s pa c e a s a backdr op. i n b i rth a nd d ea th ( Unti tled ( Ju lia ) Work ( In Prog res s ), He r l en s moves b et ween ea ch frame a nd Unti tled ( Gra nd mother)), i n Is rael, Left Beh in d t h a t r enders f l eet i ng i n no c enc e and the hospi ta l or i n the mortua ry, or an d Pau s e s eries , s h ar es not ion s of mort a l i t y. even a t the d i nner tab le a nd a t ou r an idealized chi ld ren’s b i rthd ay pa rti es. aes th etic s en s e of S t ra s sh e im wa s c ert i f i ed i n For en sic & Biome d i ca l P ho t og ra phy at Me tr o- u topian beau ty, overcas t The selection of photog ra phs here with an exagg erated D ade C oun t y, For en s i c Imaging from Stra sshei m ’s New Work look of s terile B u r eau i n M ia mi , F lori d a (1997) ( In Prog ress), Isra el, Left B ehi nd perfection ” b e for e ear n i ng her M FA i n P hotography a nd Pause seri es, sha res a n i d ea li zed a t Ya l e in 20 0 3 . Her t ra i n i ng in for ms t h e v i ewe r ’ s i n t er es t i n t he spac e s sh e work s

ae stheti c sense of u topia n b eau ty, overca st wit h an exag g era ted look of steri le p erfection

wit h in – ma i n l y i n b ed ro oms, eat ing ar eas, l iving

(Luc ien and Ka theri ne, 2005). Thi s, a long wi th

room s and b a ckya r d s . W h e t h e r we ar e in side

th e use o f d ra ma ti c li ght a nd ri ch color, i nject

or ou t s ide t he hous e, t he v i ewe r is given ac c e ss

doubt in the va li d i ty of these record s. The

t o a c om pl ex psycholog i ca l aut opsy wit h each

image s doub le a s d iora ma s for key pla cehold ers

ch ara c t e r a nd subj ec t .

of event s tha t cou ld ha p p en i n a nyone’s li fe. Strassh e im throws them onto med i ca l trays,

T h e r e l ig ious a nd r i t ua l i s t i c signifie r s in many

unde r neath

of

h eadl igh t for cri ti ca l d i ssection a nd i nqu i ry. Thi s

St ra s shei m’ s

s c enes

(i . e .

Unt itl e d

(Nic ol e

wit h Bir d ), S u mmer B oun t y, 2 0 1 5, Sun se t in th e Va l l ey of S a ms on a nd D el i l a , 2 008, and Savan nah Wi t h

Hen ,

20 1 4 )

rend er

both

famil iar it y

the

su rg i ca l

a nd

is both our cha lleng e a nd plea su re.

photog ra phi c















Angela Strassheim 6

text by Nechama Winston

You Have Nothing To Worry About 4 0 Melissa Spitz

Left Behind 5 8

Jennifer Loeber

Between Dog & Wolf 8 0 Aubrey Hays

Cast No Evil 9 2 Alia Ali

Ashes 1 10

Clara Turchi Rose

Unseen 1 30

Julianne Nash


152

Running To The Edge Julia Borissova

168

Sand Box Liron Kroll

186

In The Midst Of Things

210

Lagrimas-Negras

230

Dear God...

250

Botanicals

Sarah Hiatt

Christina Arza

Kelly O’Brien

Leslie Sheryll


You Have Nothing to Worry About /

Melissa Spitz

w w w.melissaspit z .c o m







You H ave N ot h i n g to Wor r y A b out , i s a co mplex a nd dif f i c u l t b o d y o f wo r k t h a t c a n b e b ro a d ly d efined a s do c u m e n t ar y p h o to g ra p h y. S in c e 2 0 0 9 , I h ave b e e n m ak i n g p ho to gra phs o f my

m e n t al l y

ill,

s u b s t a n c e -a b u s i n g

mo ther.

Her

dia g n o s e s c h a n g e f re qu e n t l y —f ro m a lco ho lis m to dis s o c i at i ve i d e n t i t y d i s o rd e r —a n d m y rela tio ns hip w i t h h e r h as b e e n f rau g h t wi t h a n i m o s ity fo r a s lo ng a s I c a n re m e m b e r. I a m f u l l y awa re t ha t my mo ther t h ri ve s o n b e i n g t h e c e n t e r o f at t e n t i o n a nd tha t, a t t im e s , o u r p o r t ra i t s e s s i o n s e n c o u rage her erra tic b e h av i o r. The

p h o to g rap h s

are

s i m u l t an eo u sly

and

e n c o u ra g i n g ;

honest

an d

ups etting

t h e a trica l;

loving

a n d h a t e f u l . C o r res p o n d i n g to m y m other ’s current b ipo l ar d i a g n o s i s , c o n f l at i n g t h e s e s eeming bina r y o p p o s i t e s i s t h e o n l y way to m ake p ho to gra phs o f h e r t h a t are re m o t e l y va l i d . B y t u r n i n g the ca mera to w a rd m y m o t h e r a n d m y rel at i o n s hip with her, I c ap t u re h e r b e h av i o r a s a n e c h o o f my o wn em o t i o n a l res p o n s e . Th e i m ag e s f u n c t io n like a n o n g o i n g c o n ve r s at i o n .







@NOTHING _TO_WORRY _ABOUT







Left Behind / Jennifer Loeber W h en m y M o m d i e d s u d d e n l y i n 2 0 1 3 , I f o u n d my s elf over whelmed by t h e n ee d to kee p eve n t h e m o s t m u n d an e o f her belo ngings . But in st e a d o f p rov i d i n g c o m f o r t , t h ey b e c am e a s ource o f d eep s a d nes s a n d a n xie t y. Th e o n l y way I c o u l d i m a g i n e m ov ing pa s t it a ll wa s to f o c u s o n ho w to i n t e rac t wi t h t h e s e o b j e c t s c atha r tica lly. I n 2 0 1 4 , I qu i e t l y d e b u t e d t h i s b o d y o f wo rk o n I ns ta gra m to dim in ish m y o wn s e n t i m e n t al i t y an d to re f ra me wha t ex a ctly my Mo m le f t b e h i n d . E a c h p h o to g ra p h i s p ai re d w ith a n a rchiva l ima ge t h a t u lt im a t e l y s p e a k s to i t s s u b j e c t .

w w w.jen n iferlo eber.c o m





















t

- Mary Ellen Mark


t

“ I am just interested in what makes a photograph �


Between Dog And Wolf / Aubrey Hays D e f in ed by a m o m e n t at s u n r i s e o r s u n s et , wh en the light wavers in su c h t h a t a d o g o n t h e h o r i zo n c o u l d p e r h ap s be the lurking s ha d o w o f a w o lf . It i s a t i m e i n wh i c h ever y t h i n g d i s s o lves to s ha d o w, a nd t h u s b e c o m i n g s o m e t h i n g f ra g m e n t e d a n d u n t a med . I n n ego t ia t i n g m y o wn s u r ro u n d i n g s , a p ro c es s o f per fo rma nce a nd e n du ra n c e i s d e f i n e d . B y g rap p l i n g wi t h t h e unco mfo r ta ble, the dis q u iet , t h e u n k n o wn , I l ay g e s t u re to an over whelming need to ove rc o m e i s o l at i o n wi t h i n t h e s e r u ra l s p ac e s .

w w w.au b rey h ay s.n et













CAST NO EVIL / Alia Ali T h ro u g h o ut l i fe we a re p re s e n t e d wi t h en d l e s s ex a mples in which in div idu a ls a n d g ro u p s h ave b e e n e xc l u d e d f ro m co mmunities ba s ed o n a p p e a ra n c e s , b e l i ef s a n d ac t i o n s . W h en t h is h a p p e n s , t h e re m u s t al way s b e t wo , tho s e who impo s e st a n da rds, t h e d e c i s i o n m a ke r s , t h e ‘i n c l u d ed ,’ a nd tho s e they e xc lu de . C o m m u n i c a t i o n c an b e u s e d to b o t h co nnect a nd d ivid e, evo lve a n d re g re s s , e d u c at e an d d e s t roy. In clus io n is , therefo re, e n ga g in g s o m e o n e i n a d i al o g u e , b u t n o t n e c e s s a rily a verba l o ne.

w w w.alia-ali.c o m



I n h er p h o to g rap h i c s e r i e s , C a s t No Ev i l , Alia Ali invites the v ie w er

to

an a l y ze

their

s u b j e c t i ve

p e rc eptio n

in

rega rd s

to in c lus i o n an d e xc l u s i o n , an d t h e t h re sho ld in which the t ra n sit io n b e t wee n t h e t wo , o c c u r s . Wh a t a re the perimeters t h a t de f i n e e ac h ? T h e a r t i s t h i g h l i g h t s t h e n o t i o n o f t h e i m med ia te d ua lity tha t o c c u r s i n an y g i ve n s i t u a t i o n ; to h ave o n e , yo u mus t have the o t h er f o r e i t h e r to e x i s t . In t h i s c a s e , u n d e rs ta nd ing inclus io n re q u ires u s to b e c r i t i c a l o f wh a t i t m e an s to be exclud ed . I n o rde r to b e i n c l u d e d , m u s t o n e c o m e f ro m a s ta te o f exclus io n o r v ic e ve r s a? Th e t h e m e o f d u a l i t y e x t e n d s to ques tio ning the m o m en t i n wh i c h t h e m y s t e r i o u s b ec o m e s a ppa rent, res tra int b e c o m e s f re e d o m , t h e u n d e r n e at h b e c o m e s the a bove, a nd illu sio n b e c o m e s re al i t y. T h e c h a ra c t er s i n t h e p o r t ra i t s , c al l e d —c lud es , a re wra pped in layer s o f f a b r i c t h a t s h i e l d t h e m f ro m interrela ting with a n yt h in g

b eyo n d

the

m at e r i a l .

Wh at

are

thes e

fa brica ted

b a r r ier s i n s o c i e t y t h a t i n h i b i t t h e i n c o r po ra tio n o f o thers ? Or

a re

the

o b s t ac l e s

just

t h at :

ideas,

intuitio ns ,

fea r,

dis c r imi n at i o n s an d ‘u n d e r s t a n d i n g s ’? D o es inclus io n mea n a c c ep t a n c e? If s o , d o e s t h i s d e f i n i t i o n l e n d its elf to exclus io n m ea n in g re j e c t i o n ? O r d o t h ey b o t h m e a n d ifferent po ints o n






t h e sp e c t r u m o f to l e ra n c e ? W h a t s i d e o f t h e f a b r i c are we o n a n d c a n we be o n bo th s ides a t o n c e ? Wh e n we e xc l u d e , d o es it co me fro m the fe a r o f b e i n g e xc l u d e d o u r s el ve s ? Is n’t exclus io n a fo rm o f se c u r i t y, a s we l l ? If s o , wh a t i s i t t ha t we fea r fro m disc ove r i n g t h at l i e s b e n e a t h t h e c l o t h a nd behind the c u r t a in? B y re m ai n i n g i n d i f fe re n t , a n d i n co mmunica tive, d o w e b e c o m e l i ke o n e o f t h e m , d e h u m a n i ze d ? D ummies ? Or a re w e t h e o n e s e n c l o s e d a n d wh at we s e e i s a n illus ive ba rrier t h a t we h ave b e s to we d o n t h e m ? D o e s t h e m a t e r i a l s e t a p o we r d y n am i c ? It cer ta inly crea tes a b o un d ar y, b u t wh o h o l d s t h e p o we r ; them, fo r their a n o n ym i t y, o r u s , f o r t h e i r c o n f i n e m e n t ? W h o a re t h e ‘i n c l u d e s ’ an d wh o are t h e ‘e xc l ud es ’ ?












Ashes / Clara Turchi Rose I u n de r st an d t h e a r t -wo r k a s a b i o l o g i c a l o rga nis m, a s a n entity c a p a b le o f re s p o n s e to s t i m u l i , rep ro d u c t i o n , g ro wth a nd d evelo pment, a sys t e m t h a t i s a b l e o f e x p an s i o n a n d c o n t ra ctio n, a nd tha t ca n c ro s s b o rd e r s ( f o r ex am p l e wi t h b i o l o g y, s o c i o lo gy, ps ycho lo gy etc) a n d sh a re p ro c e s s e s o f p ro d u c t i o n o f k n o wl e d g e tha t no t neces s a rily a re do c u m e n t ar y o r i n t e r p re t at i ve . As h e s is a n o p e n c o l l e c t i o n o f f o u n d i m ag e s wh i ch a re the ba ttlegro und o f m y a r t is t i c re s e arc h o n b o t h t h e o n to l o g y a n d the a es thetics o f the do c u m en t , o f m e m o r y a n d h i s to r y. T h ey a re cre at e d by a d d i n g s c ra p e d -o f f p h o to gra phic s ur fa ce fro m o t h er p h o to g rap h s ( s o m e t i m e s l i qu e f i ed ) o n to vinta ge ima ges to compose further imaginaries.

w w w.c laratu rc h iro se.c o m





















Unseen / Julianne Nash I b e ga n wo r k i n g o n t h e s e r i e s “ U n s e e i n g ” over three yea rs a go . T h is b o d y o f wo r k i s s i m p l y j u s t a v i s u al a r tis t a ttempting to u n de r st a n d wh at i t wo u l d b e l i ke to c o m p l e tely lo s e o nes vis io n , o ne s m aj o r to o l o f c o m m u n i c a t i o n , l ove a nd pa s s io n. I c a n re c a l l a d i s t i n c t m o m e n t i n t i m e , wh i l e s itting a cro s s the ro o m fro m m y g ra n d m o t h e r m a n y ye a r s a go , a nd beco ming in f u r ia t e d wi t h h e r f o r c o n t i n u a l l y as k i n g m e the ex a ct s a me q u e st io n wi t h i n a m o m e n t s t i m e . G i ve n , I was preo ccupied with s o m e t h i n g I wa s re a d i n g an d s i m p l y j u s t n o d d ed my hea d “yes ” to h e r q u e s t i o n . L i t t l e d i d I k n o w, h e r m ac u l a r d egenera tio n ha d p ro gre s s e d s o rap i d l y, t h a t m y h e a d m o t i o n wa s s imply a blur to h e r. Sh e c o u l d n o t d e c i p h e r m y v i s u al accred ita tio n to her s t a t em e n t , ra t h er p res u m e d t h a t I wa s s i m p ly igno ring her.

w w w.ju lian n en ash .c o m







As a yo u n g g i r l , m y g ra n d m o t h e r as s i s t ed my s ingle m o t h e r i n rai s i n g m y s i b l i n g s a n d m y s e l f a grea t d ea l. Se e i n g t h e wo m an , o f wh o m I n eve r t ho ught wo uld a pp ro a c h h e r o wn m o r t al i t y, u n a b l e to d ecipher my f ac i a l fe at u re s f ro m l e s s t h an f i ve feet a way wa s t rau m a t i z i n g f o r a c o m i n g o f a g e a r t i s t. M y i n i t i al re s p o n s e was to t ake as m a ny ima ges o f h e r an d m y g ra n d f at h e r a s I p o s s i b l y co uld while t h ey we re s t i l l g rac i n g m e wi t h t h e re pres ence. I c h ro n i c l e d t h e i r h o m e , an d t h e i r l i fe as much a s I p o s s i b l y c o u l d . I s p e n t m a n y we e ke n d s o f my co llege c a re e r, s k i p p i n g p a r t i e s an d s l e e p i ng over their h o u s e , i n h o p e s o f f i n d i n g s o m e t h i n g ind ica tive o f t h e i r n e w l i fe . Ho weve r, wi t h t h e p ro g re s s i o n o f t h i s pro ject, my own “ C a t h o l i c g u i l t � s e t i n ; I fe l t re s p o n sible fo r being a bl e to s e e . I wa s s c a re d o f f l au n t i n g my a bility to se e to h e r t h ro u g h p h o to g ra p h i n g . I w a s ex tremely h e s i t an t to o f fe n d h e r i n a n y way. I bega n vis iting f o r d ay s a t a t i m e , a n d l e av i n g wi t h m o re unex po s ed f i l m t h a n eve r b e f o re . I g re w u n c o m f o r ta ble behind m y g ro u n d g l as s i n t h e i r h o m e , b e c a u s e I s ta r ted to re g i s t e r o u r s h are d m o r t al i t y. M ac u l a r

D e g e n e ra t i o n

is

a

i n h e re nt

co nd itio n.

M e a n i n g , t h e re i s a l a rg e c h an c e t h a t I will s lo wly lo s e m y v i s i o n , to o .










Th i s

is

essentially

wh y

I

begun

to

phy s ica lly

d e g rad e m y n e g a t i ve s ; i n o d e r to s o m eho w a bs o lve m y s e l f o f t h e g u i l t I fe l t b e i n g a b l e to ex perience the wo r l d , a n d to b a t t l e wi t h m y o wn fe ar s o f a bs o lute d a r k n e s s . I c o m p i l e d a s t a c k o f ove r 20 nega tives t h at I c h e r i s h e d o f m y g ra n d p are n t s; ima ges o f u s to g e t h e r, o f ad o r i n g g l a n c e s , an d o f trea s ures wi t h i n t h e h o m e . I d o u s e d t h e m i n b l e a ch, clea ning so l u t i o n s , s al t a n d s u g a r, b o i l e d t h e m , burnt them— d e s t roye d t h e m i n eve r y way I c o u l d t hink o f. I n my own way, t h i s h e l p e d . I wa s a b l e to u nd ers ta nd the lo s s m y g ran d m o t h e r was e x p e r i e n c i ng a n a ver y p e r s o n a l m an n e r ; an d was a b l e to d iminis h my a nx i e t y over l o s i n g m y s el f , to o . Wi t h t h a t , I b ro ke b a r r i e r s wi t h i n m y o wn pho to gra phic p ro c e s s , a n d was c a p ab l e o f c reat i n g much d ifferent wo r k . I s to p p e d fe ar i n g t h e c a m e ra, a nd it’s a bility to re n d e r t h e s e e n an d u n s e e n . I to o k ad van t ag e o f i t . Fi r s t o f f , I b ega n to ma ke m a n y i m ag e s u s i n g a s i m p l e p i n h o l e ca mera . I wa s in t e res t e d i n b re ak i n g d o wn m y v i s ua l elements to i t ’s p u re s t f o r m —ab s t rac t c o l o r a nd s ha pes . I d e c i d e d to p l ac e t h e p i n h o l es i n fro nt o f the m o m e n t s i n l i fe t h at I c h e r i s h t h e m o s t: s uns ets / su n r i s e s , s n o ws to r m s , s t arg az i n g , e c t. T he res ults we re e s s e n t i a l l y t h e m o s t a b s t rac t f o rms o f vis ua l re l a t i o n I c o u l d a c c o m p l i s h at t h a t t i m e. Es s entia lly, I wa s c rea t i n g i m ag e s t h at m y g ran d mo ther co uld a l s o e n j oy. Th e re we re n o t d e t ai l s t h a t s he mis s ed , or s p o t s o f d a r k n e s s o b s c u r i n g f o c us —they were si m p l e en o u g h f o r h e r to e n j oy.








Running to the Edge / Julia Borissova I n t h i s p ro j e c t I re fe r to t h e s u b j e c t o f t he firs t wave o f R u ssi a n e m i g ra t i o n i n 1 9 2 0 ’s . C o m b i n i n g o ld pho to s a nd f lo w e r p e t al s I d e s t roy t h e o r i g i n a l i m ag e s o f peo ple in the p h o to s a n d m ake t h e m a n o n y m o u s . I ref l e c t o n h o w wi t h t h e l a p s e o f t i me s o me d eta ils a re e ras e d f ro m o u r m e m o r y an d eve r y time we reca ll so m e t h i n g f ro m t h e p a s t , we c o n s t r u c t a no ther ima ge re p la ci n g s o m e p ar t s by n e w o n es . I’m tr y ing to d o the sa m e wi t h t h e p i c t u re s . Th i s way I’m a l s o tr y ing to a chieve t h e c o n n e c t i o n b e t we e n m o d e r n d i m e n s io n a nd telling a sto r y.

w w w.ju liabo rissova.ru


















Liron Kroll is a London based

This

visual

carefully constructed environment

ar tist,

graduate

of

the

is emphasized by the rich,

Royal College of Ar t.The themes

Kroll

of her work are based around the

digital layering techniques.

achieves

using

different

illusiveness of normality. She is interested in the inherent

In

contradiction in the need to belong

dismantles

to a social structure, but being

worlds,

simultaneously repulsed by it.

builds new realisms. One of her

her

images Kroll

focuses

moment

of

on

a

creation and

she

process, creates

Kroll visual

reassembles

may

include

bits

and and

specific

pieces taken from over hundreds

acknowledgement

of different photos, photos taken

and realisation. Her characters,

in

those whom we see within the

Thereby

image and those whose presence

supposedly “photographic Image�

is only implied, exist in a state of

from any standard anchors in time

constant conflict.

and space.

different

w w w.liro n kro ll.c o m

times

Kroll

and

places.

disconnects

the


















In The Midst Of Things / Sarah Hiatt T h ro u g h

p h o to g ra p h y,

I

e x am i n e

the

phy s ica l

a nd

p s yc h o l o g i c a l g ro wt h t h ro u g h o u t c h i l d h o o d . O ver t he c o u r s e o f f i ve ye a r s , E m m a, E t h an, a nd eventua lly W illia m , h ave s e r ve d a s s t an d -i n s f o r t h e i d ea s o f yo uth I a m a t t e m pt i n g to re p re s e n t . W h ile eve r yo n e’s p e r s o n a l l i fe e x p e r i e n ces a re ex tremely va r ie d, we s t i l l s h a re t h e f am i l i a r p at h o f gro wing into o ur b o dies, d e l i g h t i n g i n i n n o c e n c e , a n d g rap p l i ng with lo s s . T h e p a s s i n g o f t i m e a d d s l aye r s o f ye ar s and ex periences o n o u r m ind s a n d b o d i e s , c h a n g i n g an d e x p a n d ing o ur co ncerns .

w w w.sarah -h iat t .c o m/



T im e

e x t en d s

wh i l e

pushing

us

f o r ward

a nd

upwa rd .

A

h ig h c h a i r l e f t u n u s ed i n t h e c o r n e r, a s h i r t tha t tugs a ro und t h e w ai s t , a n d a b aby to o t h t h at h a s wi ggled its way o ut, n o lo n g e r n e e d e d , are f rag m en t s o f p h y sica l gro wth s een t h ro u gh o u t t h e s e r i e s . T h e ir h o m e s e e m s a s afe p l ac e wh e re l e arning a nd gro wth t a ke p l ac e . R e l at i o n s h i p s a n d i d e n t i t y are built a nd nur tured w it h in a d o m e s t i c , wo m b -l i ke en v i ro n m e nt. Child ren o ften p h ysic al l y a n d em o t i o n al l y m a t u re b eyo n d the bo und a ries o f t h e h o m e . Th i s o u t g ro wt h i s re p re s e n t e d i n fa d ed s ta ins a nd m a r k- m a k i n g s l o c a t e d wi t h i n t h e i r s p a c e . T h e im a g e s s e r ve a s a s o r t o f c o m i n g -o f -a ge s to r y ; a vis ua l n a r ra t ive c re at e d t h ro u g h p e r s o n a l e x p e r i ences a s I s truggle w it h m y o wn p u r p o s e an d t h e t h e m e s o f guilt a nd s evere lo n e lin e s s t h ro u g h o u t m y l i fe . T h e c h i l d re n a re o f t e n s e e n i n qu i e t s p a ces , is o la ted a nd s u r ro u n d e d by d a r k n e s s . Th e i r i n t e r n a l l i ve s a re bro ught fo r th t h ro u gh e x p re s s i o n a n d g e s t u re . Th e i n ev i t ability o f a d ultho o d lo o m s ove r t h e m i n t h e d i s c o m f o r t o f t ra n s itio n. But, like a ny t ra n s it i o n , c h i l d h o o d i s t e m p o rar y.























Lagrimas-Negras

/ Christina Arza In

Lagrimas

Negras

(Black

Tears),

Christina Arza probes her identity as a second-generation Cuban American. In the photographs, Arza imagines what life might have been for her in Cuba.

w w w.c h rist in aar za.com





















Dear God... / Kelly O’Brien

w w w.kellyo brien ph o to .c o m





As a ch i l d I wo u l d f i n d m y m o t h e r ’s l e t ters a nd p rayer s h i d d e n a ro u n d t h e h o m e . I wo u l d o pen a b o o k a n d a l e t t e r wo u l d f a l l o u t i n to m y l ap. I wo uld f in d t he p ag e s o f o u r c a t h o l i c t e x t s g ra f f itied with s c r ib b le d p a s s a g e s . At t h e t i m e I was p e r plexed a s to t h e p u r p o s e t h es e l e t t e r s a n d p raye r s h e l d . N o w a wo m an I u n d e r s t a n d t h a t t h ey s e r ved a s a m e a n s o f s u r v i va l f o r m y m o t h e r, a way to relea s e t h e m e m o r i e s t h a t s h e was b u rd e n e d wi t h, to give vo ic e to t h e d e p re s s i o n s h e wa s e x p e r i e ncing a nd s e e kin g to ke e p h i d d e n . Th e s e l e t t er s we re a way f o r h e r to d e c l are h e r p ai n , s a d n e s s a n d o f t en a nger a b o u t n o t o n l y h e r s u f fe r i n g b u t al l t h o s e s uffering in t h e wo r l d . My m o t h e r h as n o w o f fe re d m e t h e s e l e tters a nd p rayer s s o I m ay h ave a wi n d o w i n to wh a t s he wa s exp e r ie n c i n g . In t h es e wr i t i n g s , e a c h o n e po wer fully en t it le d ‘D e ar G o d ’, I h ave wi t n es s e d h er s uffering a n d t rau m a a s a s u r v i ve r o f d o m e s t i c abus e, the s h o c k wi t h i n h e r t h at s h e s u r v i ve d an d t h e s ca rs s he c a r r ie s. T h is p h o to g rap h i c s e r i e s , ‘D e a r G o d ...’, i s crea ted in re sp o n s e . Th e a c t o f m ak i n g t h i s b o d y o f wo rk is a co l l a b o ra t i ve p ro c e s s o f b o t h a m other a nd da u g h t e r re -c o n n e c t i n g , s e e k i n g to g a i n a d eeper u n de r st a n d i n g

of

their

s h ared

h i s to r y,

a nd

the

c rea t io n o f a b o n d b e t we e n t wo wo m e n who s e lives h ave b e e n af fe c t e d by d o m e s t i c v i o l e n c e .

















Botanicals / Leslie Sheryll

w w w.lesliesh er y ll.c o m



I e x p l o re fe m al e i d e n t i t y. My i m a g e s b e g i n wi t h an o n y m o u s 19th centur y t int y p e s , wh i c h I ap p ro p r i a t e a n d a l t e r. I na me ea ch w o m an to g i ve h e r a n i d e n t i t y. Th e na mes tha t I u s e a re f ro m t h e e ra i n wh i c h s h e lived . Severa l eve n t s o c c u r re d d u r i n g t h e 1 9 t h c e n t ur y. T inty pes b e c am e t h e f i r s t m e an s o f re c o rd i n g o ne’s ima ge t h a t wa s a f f o rd a b l e f o r t h e m as s e s . D ar win’s wo rk in b io l o g i c al d e t e r m i n a t i o n h e l p e d f u e l the belief tha t m e n we re t h e s u p e r i o r s e x . A wo m an’s ro le wa s a s w ife an d m o t h e r an d s h e was c o n f i n e d to the ho me. B o t a n i c a l i l l u s t rat i o n was o n e o f t h e few pa s times t h a t was ac c e p t ab l e f o r wo m e n to s t ud y. “Altho ugh w o m e n we re n o t e n c o u ra g e d to t ake up bo ta ny a s a p ro fe s s i o n , m e m b e r s o f t h e e l i t e c l a s s co ns id ered t h e p rac t i c e o f i l l u s t ra t i n g a n d s t u d ying pla nts a m o ral i z i n g p u r s u i t a n d a m e an s o f n atura l theo lo gy­­ a c e l eb ra t i o n o f t h e g re at n es s o f Go d thro ugh the s t u d y a n d c o n t e m p l a t i o n o f Hi s c re a tio ns .” (Sa ra h Ho r n e 2 0 1 6 ) Flo we r s h ave t h e i r o wn l an g u a g e . B ea uty, d es ire, love , b i r t h , d e at h ... E a c h o f m y i m a g e s tells a s to r y. T h e c o m m o n t h re ad i s t h a t m y wo m en a re s tro ng a n d d e t e r m i n e d to s u r v i ve an d b re ak ba rriers . My w is h i s f o r t h e v i e we r to t a ke a m o m e nta a nd think about

wh at

t h ey

a re

seeing.

Th i s

is

es pecia lly

im p o r t an t c o n s i d e r i n g o u r c u r re n t p o l i tica l s itua tio n. We n e e d to u n d e r s t an d o u r p a s t a n d ta ke a ctio n to p ro t e c t o u r f u t u re .




















Thank You.



Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.