BREAKING MYTHOS
Breaking Mythos began as an experiment on how I could blend my love for the theater arts with my passion for fine art. I began with a very rudimentary concept of a character, a body painting kit, and a few women who were willing to get vulnerable with me. However, as the ideas and photo shoots progressed, I realized that the need to create these character productions stemmed much deeper than just a desire to experiment.
I grew up in a strict household. My mother was raped when she was young, which of course influenced how she raised me. In her mind, the only way to protect me was to cover me. Dating, boys, and sex were taboo and never spoken about. As I grew older, I became intensely aware and uncomfortable of male attention. I also became afraid of what male attention led to. I became uncomfortable with my body, as I felt it was the culprit for all unwanted attention. I was never really ashamed of my body; I was ashamed of HAVING a body. Having a body meant I was entitled to catcalls and butt grabs without my solicitation. In turn, nakedness in general made me uncomfortable. I eventually grew older, had my life experiences, and had grown slightly wiser for it.
I started creating this work unintentionally as a way for me to deal with my fear and to have a way of connecting with other women who have been through similar experiences.
And so comes in the glorious women who have given their bodies and stories over to my art. After spending hours painting these women, I realized that this project is about transformation and ownership. About my transformation into a woman who is owning just how beautiful having this body is; and the transformation that these women go through during the process of the body paintings. They speak their truth in letting themselves be these characters, and so boldly and beautifully own their bodies.
Breaking Mythos is women taking the power of their bodies back. It's about honoring the stories that these women's bodies tell. Breaking Mythos is for the women who don't feel beautiful in their own skin, for the women that have been hurt and ridiculed, catcalled and harassed. For women that have let men define them.
Breaking Mythos is for my amazing, strong, resilient mother.
For women like me.
*Photos from Nymph and Metamorphosis were taken by Savannah Canavan.