SHE

 
 
 

 

Trigger Warning: This post contains writing about sexual violence.

SHE is a series of constructed images that visually translate stories of the contemporary experience of womanhood as told by real women. The use of organic matter in still-life compositions replaces the use of the female body as a vessel for meaning, thus focusing attention on the experiences of women instead of their bodies. The emphasis on the stories works in part to engage the viewer in an exercise of empathy as opposed to judgement.

EACH STORY you read here was submitted by a woman in response to the question: how has the world shaped your understanding of womanhood? Some stories are sensitive in nature and could be possible triggers for those who have suffered from such challenges in the past. It is not my intention to paint a positive or negative image of contemporary womanhood; it is instead my hope to show an honest and undiluted portion of the experience of those who experience womanhood in its many and varied forms. 

All images were shot on large format analog film.

 

 

 

 

 

Ella Barnes is a NYC-based artist.

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