PERSISTERS

Partially covering the face is an act of defiance and empowerment; you are only allowed to see what is shown to you, the subject is in control. This empowers the women portrayed turning against a society that habitually objectifies them into weakness. Through wrapping, shielding, and covering each person with items that are personal to their life experience, the work expresses a deeper part of their identity and story. Masking the face acknowledges that there are parts of ourselves we cannot easily reach or share with the outside world, and brings attention to struggles in our personal evolution due to societal barriers stemming from prejudices against race, gender, personal trauma, mental illness— the list is never-ending.