Inflorescence

     These images discuss what it is to be a woman and the scrutiny that we are faced with by society. There is endless pressure and many expectations to be perfect and flawless even as we age. I use flowers as a stand-in for this idea as they are considered beautiful and pure, yet each one has individuality and every flower has flaws. They are beautiful and resilient and yet so extremely fragile.

     Experimenting with objects that are considered beautiful and manipulating them as a way to experiment with themes of femininity and purity. I found myself discussing my own emotions and insecurities. At first, it was subconscious, but when I became aware I only pushed it farther, becoming more destructive and purposeful with how I manipulated these flowers. In some photographs, I cut and dismembered flowers as a reference to the fragile expectations of being a woman. And in others, I used needles and thread to comment on how women are closely observed and are expected to change to fit the strict guidelines of society. In almost every image I tried to bring out their raw and unique beauty with light and color. 

     Color has been crucial to this project as each person’s perception of color is unique to them. It became important to me to think about how I portrayed color in this work and I wanted to present colors that embodied softness, warmth, and comfort. I wanted those words to translate through the colors that I depict in my images. Light also plays an important role as it elevates the colors and pushes the idea that light affects everything we see.