My first Solo Exhibition: "INTROSPECTION"

Although 2020 has been a rough year, I can say it has brought me some pretty exciting opportunities. Amongst them, my first solo exhibition, in San Francisco, California.

The project "introspection" was born as a collaboration with a friend over the summer 2020. I had been wanting to shoot nude for a while, but I was hesitant to go ahead because I felt people might not understand the artistic process. It's sad but nudity is often immediately seen as provocative, vulgar or erotic. With the project I had in mind, I wanted to show a vision of nudity that evokes poetry and sensitivity, creating images that accentuate the contrast between a cold and tough environment against the fragility of a naked, human body, stripped of any artifice or accessories.

I had a friend from college with who I had been wanting to shoot for a while, but unfortunately, we were never in the same country at the same time to make a proper photoshoot happen. I wasn't sure about what she would think about the project, but after after I explained what I envisionned she was down to try.

I have to admit I was also a little anxious before the shoot. My priority was for my model to feel comfortable at all times. As I always say before a shoot, "I'm going to have a lot of ideas, a lot of them won't be feasible, but I need you to let me know". I knew my friend did acroyoga and that she was very brave, but I was amazed by some of the poses we imagined together and how she made them work.

More photos from this collection here.

I had been wanting to show my work to galleries for a while, but I struggled building a story that would fill an entire space. With this new series I felt like I had a collection that was big enough and coherent.

I knew a photographer I met a couple months earlier was opening a new gallery, so I decided to show him the series and ask for his opinion. I was surprised when he immediately asked me if I was ready to showcase it two months later. And that's how I got my first exhibition, in San Francisco, California.

Credit photo #2: Jafar L.

I got no directions apart from the date the exhibition had to be ready, so I could get creative with the layout. I enjoyed the process of mapping the walls, selecting the photos and the print sizes.

My model friend studied psychology, and we wanted the photos to reflect a journey into thoughts, feelings and emotions through body expression. We wanted to tell a story; a story that unfolds following the steps of the impressive staircases of this building, a story with multiple characters and states of mind, that would accompany the repetitive arches, but at the same time would break this incredible symmetry. A story that would feed in the light filtering from the outside, that could resonate differently in each one of us, but that would connect us through emotions. This collection is meant to be a journey through different states of mind, an allegory about mental health. That’s how “INTROSPECTION” was born.

I think I will always remember the feeling of unpacking the first test print: "Le morceau de viande", on professional lustre paper, 30x45 inches. Seeing my work printed in such a big size and on such a gorgeous paper brought tears of excitement to my eyes.

In frame: Lara, singer and song writer who performed during the opening

During the opening of the exhibition, a lot of women came to compliment my photos. I was touched to hear that they found my work elegant and emotional. I was especially moved by one of them who came to me saying she had struggled with depression in the past and she could easily identify with a lot of the states of mind that were presented in this project.

I have to admit I was also relieved, because I still had some insecurities about showcasing this project, but I really felt comforted by all the positive feedback; this exhibition was just the beginning of what I want my photography to become.