Still We Bloom
Still We Bloom challenges women’s perceptions of self through collaboration and reflection. Stemming from my own struggles with self-image, I provide care and attention to community members and myself through this series. I encourage each woman to see themselves in a positive light, like a flower blooming. This series lifts women up and honors the space between what is spoken and what is withheld, between vulnerability and confidence. In a tumultuous political climate where art can be an act of resistance, my work is motivated by narrative and sharing lived experiences. I focus on connecting with local community members by developing a visual language through interviews, portraiture, poetry, and collage.
As an extension of my earlier collage work with vintage imagery, I employ the use of my grandfather’s traditional film camera to mimic vintage aesthetics in contemporary portraits. I have always been drawn to analog processes, whether finding source material, cutting intricate images, or working with a local camera shop to develop my photos. Breaking the picture frame and demolishing the misogynistic notion taught to me that girls cannot use power tools, I use a jigsaw to create intricate wood panels as the ground for my collage work to emphasize the complexity of individuals when not constrained to traditional forms.
Each participant creates blackout poetry from their interview text, redacting anything they do not want to share and exposing what matters to them. Zines are created for each individual to serve as companions to the collages and reveal intimate details. Through the steps of this process, each community member and I engaged in collaboration, supporting one another, celebrating each other’s strengths, and connecting in a meaningful way.
