Tova Whimster

Secret Garden

 

I immediately thought of all the little secret walled gardens from France, the burnt colours, and the overgrown chaos that comes with the flourish of summer growth. Often framed by a window frame or doorway, the wilderness of the overgrown garden spills out.

In contrast to this, places like the Palace of Versailles are renowned for their esteemed, neat gardens, privet hedges, planned mazes and orderliness. Within my project I aim to play with these two juxtaposing aspects of gardens, mowing layered and energised forms of making with technical and tight styles of creating.

Meeting Your Gaze

Whilst on holiday in Japan I was lucky enough to immerse myself in the culture, colour and sound of an amazing people. Within this complex culture comes its historical nuisance and I found myself face-to-face with the difficult dilemma of the geisha. Beautiful women who who have been turned into objectified, voyeurs, forms are an integral part of how we as outsiders see some of Japan.

 

The complexity of this situation sat with me and I chose to look at this within my art. It did not feel right to make a project where I too focused on just their beauty and objectifed these women, so I aimed instead to find the female form and re-power it. I asked my little sister if she would be my model and I documented her in a way where she met the viewer’s gaze out of the photograph.

 

Combining this with symbols from traditional Japanese fabrics, I aimed to create arresting images that centre the female as an empowered figure that can meet our gaze.