Female Beauty Redefined

My photography reflects the turbulent and conflicted relationship with my sexuality. Growing up I often felt trapped by anger towards my vagina. As a girl transforming into a woman I began to realize that my vagina held a special power that went beyond me. I was left with a feeling that it was usually not me, but my vagina who drove people interested in talking to me, socializing with me and feeling attracted to me. I felt shadowed by the popularity of a part of me. Feeling like a nerdy younger sibling watching the popularity of a prettier, older sister I develop jealousy and paranoia. Were my lovers genuinely interested in me as a person, or were they after sex?

The media, society and even religion break us down to mere objects, never allowing us to embrace wholeness. My journey into womanhood and self-discovery fortunately allowed me to see myself as a whole; embracing each part of me as mine. It was through radical readings about a foreign concept of self-love that I was able to reunite in my head, my heart and my vagina with my body. I had to understand not to condemn my vagina as a separate entity¬– a sexual object, per se– but rather as a versatile sexual organ, my flesh, and my body.

This notion of self-love sadly is still a radical concept. We as women of color, are constantly fighting a upward battle with our society where we are usually told that there is only one standard of beauty: Caucasian; where we are often sexualized for the heteronormative pleasure; where we are told that we are never going to be good enough, and our whole lives should be about striving that unattainable perfection. We are seldom told that we are smart, that men could love us for who we are, and that there is a possibility to love other women romantically as well.

My work as an artist is to explore our bodies of people of color through my lens–the lens of a woman of color. Without sexualizing the female body, or defining the body of people of color in general, but rather showing it for what it is. I photograph people of color, because I am a woman of color myself, and I want us to be seen through that lens for a change. My nude project is a testament to our bodies in their purest form. Intimate, playful, vulnerable, powerful, and resilient.

I was able to capture these women in the nude, yet I tried to make these images about what the bodies had to say. It is about a game of space, light and form where I hope sexuality might be an undertone owned by these ladies and not the subject of the photos alone. I hope these photos speak to you about untold stories and silent memories.

With much love,

Elena

#Nudephotography #project #feminism #selflove