Project_ISM - erotic art & public nudity

DESIREE

ARTISTS STATEMENT

I had so much fun with the ISM project, but this project also made it very clear to me that I am still very much on a path of self-acceptance and self-love, and showed me that I still have a lot of growing into myself to do. While taking the photos, and looking through them afterwards, I felt two very different feelings. I am very proud of my contribution, proud of the woman I see in the photos, excited to get to know that person better. I feel beautiful and grateful to have the chance to explore new ways of seeing my body. But of course I have internalized the same hyper-critical and limiting notions of beauty that we all have, and I struggle with the same insecurities that we all do. Putting myself in the context of a photo shoot, where I had the freedom to sensor and edit myself and choose which things to show and which things to hide, I felt this project bringing out a lot of my insecurities and pulling my focus towards parts of my body that I normally hide, while simultaneously prompting me to accept my body and love it for what it is. In short, my experience with this project felt very much like a mirror to the ongoing inner battle to shed judgments and false ideas about my body, and to love it for the temporary, changing, unique, and extraordinary thing that it is. But I am very happy to be here, sharing my own kind of beauty, and learning in the process what it means to be in my skin.

Media index

ARTIST PROFILE

birthplace: Texas, USA.
occupation: Student/Dancer.
age: 22.
height: 5'5".
weight: 130lbs?
relationship status: IN LOVE!
starsign: Aries.
biggest passion in my life: Growing things, taking care of animals and plants, and contributing the humble things that I have to offer the world.
I like to listen to: folk singers of all genres. The people that make music first, art second, and money third.
I like to watch: animals doing what they do and interacting with each other. Including humans :)
I like to smell: the smells of the earth. Soil, grass, trees, mud, fire, saltwater, and flowers, of course.
I like to taste: the sweet taste of vengeance. No, just kidding, morning coffee, or a glass of wine and a lover.
I like to feel: rough ground on my bare feet, and cool air on my legs, sun on my face.
favourite part of my body: Eyes, voice, feet and hands. The things I use to connect with.
favourite part of someone else's body: Eyes, profile, hair, skin, it's different with everyone really. Everyone has different things that make them them.
Why i shot myself: It all just kind of happened by accident, but I thought it was a beautiful project and couldn't think of a reason not to participate. Sure glad I did.
who I'd least like to see shoot themselves: Someone who didn't want to, I guess.
who I'd most like to see shoot themselves: My partner, or my sistafrand.
my website/fav website: Google, maybe not my favorite, but far and away the most visited and valued.
Most outrageous thing I have done: Drove across the country in an '84 Landcruiser that DID NOT work. Glad we made it.
Bands I like: Laura Marling, Lauryn Hill, Anais Mitchell, Joni Mitchell, Haiyatus Kaiote.
Books I like: Anything by Alice Walker, No Destination and You Are Therefore I Am by Satish Kumar, and numerous others.
Films I like: Oh god, this is always the hardest question. I Love Howl's Moving Castle and others by the same artist.

this artist also contributed to beautiful agony

DESIREE