Self-Portrait Statement
Conform, Repress, Critique, Contort, Endure, Withstand
That is what we do to our bodies. Conform to the newest beauty standards. Repress thoughts, cravings, and shame. Critique from everyone, the worst come from within. Contort into positions to show the figure. Endure anything if it will ease the loathing. Withstand what we put our bodies through to be “perfect”. In my work, I am investigating the power, influence, and emotional response the female body has on the viewer.
My work investigates the role of photography in self-perception and the gulf that exists between a photographic representation and the authentic self. My studio practice involves creating grotesque, peculiar, and dehumanized compositions made from fragments of my own body. This approach allows me to reflect on my own form while also presenting an oppositional aesthetic to cultural notions of beauty.
A photograph captures and pauses reality. The mirror displays the present time, the truth. It is a very different experience of looking at one’s self in a photograph and looking in the mirror. People are often more comfortable seeing themselves in a photograph rather than a mirror because of their unwillingness to confront what is truly there. Although photography shows reality, one can hide parts of themselves from the camera, the mirror does not hide anything. The mirror forces you to confront everything all at once. This is a daunting fact that most avoid admitting to themselves. I address these issues of a distorted self-image that pushes against what the media accepts as beautiful. My studio practice is a hybrid of performance and studio-based photography that utilizes bodily endurance as both a theme and strategy.
As I took these photos I was able to freely express myself and stopped being so concerned about what my body looked like. Rather than letting my insecurities control what dictated a good photo, I embraced them. I put my body in contorted positions and disfigured it through objects, light, and reflections. I did this because I do not how my body looks. Studying the photos I have made has opened up my interest in the abilities of our bodies to be part of a bigger conversation. My body is part of a conversation, my body is political, and my body is powerful.
Society projects a conflicted/contradictory message about the value of the female form. It is empowered but also a sexualized object, it is beautiful but never enough. I want to challenge the viewers on how they see the female figure and question why they see it that way. The constant flow of all kinds of media telling us how and what we should be doing to have the ideal body creates an inescapable pressure on young girls and women. Thinking about the female body and all the pressures society has put on it to look a certain way has damaged our self-confidence and acceptance of one another. This work provides a place where the viewer can take a moment and ask themselves what the female body means to them, the impacts of societal standards on the body, and what beauty encompasses.
