Stations of the Scale
In this series of photographs from my larger project “Stations of the Scale,” I combine self-portraiture with well-known masterpieces of fine art to conceptualize the cult of thinness and my emotional relationship to it. Turning the camera on myself has enabled me to examine problems, often with humor, that are particular to me but also universal.
Although I’ve set up the photographs in different ways, patterning some directly on the famous works and, in one, using a print of the painting within the photograph, I purposely leave some ambiguity to encourage people to bring their own experiences to the work. I want the interplay of the iconic paintings and my own interpretation of them to first elicit surprise and even a smile from viewers while with additional reflection, the pain inherent in my narrative will emerge.
All of my photography involves close seeing, and this is no different. I am greatly fascinated by what goes on beneath the surface of things, whether peeling paint , waterfalls, or emotions, and enjoy finding the meaning and beauty within.
