My photographic work explores female sexuality, beauty and mental health through the representation of the female body, mind and soul. I take self-portraits, I create photocollages and I design art-zines to express my feelings, my thoughts, my fears, my memory. I find inspiration in nature, (day)dreams, fairy tales, my personal journey and art & literature by feminist artists.
By turning the analogue and digital photo camera to myself I observe, explore and rediscover my self-identity. I create intimate cropped details of my nude body with a smartphone and self-timer. My full-length nude self-portraits within the rural environment are created in collaboration with my partner and artist Jasper. Turning the camera and looking to myself these past five years makes me slowly discover how gorgeous and worthy I am.
My photocollages are portraits, often together with botanical, nature and folklore elements. I utilise my collection of photographic books and magazines, found vintage photographs and my own archive of photographs. Each collage is composed by 4 to 5 cut-out elements. I use the scissor and scalpel to cut and juxtapose elements. The process of working with collage is magical, a new image transforms while I intuitively search for the elements.
I design hand-sized folded zines with collages and photographs. My DIY-zines explore feminist issues such as nicknames for the vulva, power to the period and feminist mothering.
By unfolding, revealing, healing, I rediscover myself. I am stitching the scars on my soul, putting myself together like a collage. Every photograph I take, every collage I make, every zine I design, is a healing fragment.
With glowing love, Isabelle