Reclamation is an ongoing project that examines the process of reclaiming autonomy over our bodies in the aftermath of sexual assault. What began as a personal response to an oversexualized adolescence has expanded into a collective inquiry into healing after the loss of agency in choices made for, and upon, our bodies.
Through this work, I find myself moving through this liminal, nonlinear space to witness how my, and others, bodies can be re-inhabited with care and agency, through self- acceptance gained through time, and through reminders given thoughtfully and frequently by our loved ones.
There came a point in my journey of aftermath, in which exhaustion hit. Exhaustion spreading out of the amount of time the intensity of processing, both introspectively and systematically public, has already absorbed. I attempt, in collaboration with those whose bodies show, to focus on turning towards the reformation of the self, while acknowledging the pain that has led to this need to rebuild, rather than centering it further.
I hope to offer proximity rather than closure, recognition rather than resolution. We linger between vulnerability and power, where the self is redrawn through touch, reflection, self-assuredness, and shared bearing.
The project unfolds through close collaboration with each participant, together creating space for them to be portrayed as they wish to be seen.
The series will culminate in large-format portraits, including a self-portrait, printed at 48” x 60” and framed in white. Envisioned as NFS and intended for gallery or museum exhibition with potential to travel, the work seeks to foster dialogue around bodily autonomy, institutional retraumatization, and healing. Given the sensitivity of the subject matter, the process is intentionally slow and centered on participants I have a prior relationship with and are ready to engage in this stage of post-traumatic reflection.
To date, I have completed four portraits and continue to refine the aesthetic through practice shoots and freelance work that sustains my creative process.
Reclamation
2023 - Present
