MIRRORS
2020-2022

My need to work on topics such as the body stems from the understanding that many issues, social or personal, carry the body at its core. Whether we are talking about physical or mental health, or about global politics, we cannot bypass the question of the body. The body is, therefore, one of probably the most important positioning factors in the social hierarchy. I am also fascinated by the vast knowledge that our bodies carry and their ability to memorize.

When we stand in front of a mirror, the reflection we see is very significant feedback that we get in a split second. This information is not easy for everyone to deal with, and I believe it is because society has made some bodies more vulnerable than others. Society is putting us under pressure by teaching us about the way we should look from a very young age. These expectations put people of different ages, genders, sexualities, and cultures in the position to be discriminated against and bullied. It affects their mental and physical health daily.

For that reason, in this series, I worked with people who face discrimination of different types. Instead of using only one, I was interested in exploring the possibilities of using a couple of mirrors. This setup was meant to avoid conventional posing, those we all do before we go out to meet friends in the bar or prepare for a date. Multiple mirrors gave multiple sights and the possibility to play with postures. It was a chance for the participants to see their bodies from angles they have never seen before, get to know themselves better, and hopefully, to empower themselves.

Together we created a safe space for the photoshoot. This was a room of their choice, something like a stage just for themselves. I was trying to disturb the process as little as possible with my presence, photographing from the sidelines. Finally, after I showed pictures to them, I asked them to share their experiences in the project in the form of a short text or an interview.