Defiant: Vox Margo
As a small, left handed person with dysgraphia, my hands have been something I’ve been aware of as being something that “others” me. It’s not that I don’t like them, it’s just that in many ways, they limit me, because of the society we live in.
I can only just span an octave on the piano. Microphones are often a little bigger than is comfortable in my hands. Desks, chairs, scissors, tools – and so much more – are not designed for me.
Despite all this, I am living an authentic life I love, as a teacher, a musician, a crafter, and creative human.
The Webs We Weave: G. Francis
When taking this Cahun-inspired photo of my hands, I decided to focus on something that I regularly do with my hands that feels authentic to me.
Creativity is a huge part of my life and something I enjoy engaging in for my mental wellbeing. Therefore, I decided to take this photo whilst I was crocheting myself a blanket – specifically a mood blanket where each colour correlates to my overall feeling about each day of the year.
I like how the theme of authenticity can be seen through the act of including crochet in my photo as well as in the actual piece that I was crocheting at the time.
On My Sleeve: Mia Violet
My tattoos are an expression of self-love. I chose to put one on each of my forearms so they’d always be visible.
They represent an external etching of my inner personality, the same personality that I had to hide and suppress for many years while being told it’s wrong.
Here my tattoo shows that this photo is of me, not anybody else, and that I’m proud to wear this part of myself literally on my sleeve.
Behind The Scenes: Stacy Smith
My hands aren’t particularly photogenic, as a habitual nail biter with a single wedding ring the most interesting thing about my hands are what I do with them.
This is a sort of hidden property they have, which is especially fitting as hiding things in my hands is one of the fundamental aspects of the sleight of hand I perform.
Communal Smoke: Ember Overal
This photo, taken by Esme Featherstonhaugh, a friend of the model and conceptualist, is on the theme of hands.
For the model, Ember, cigarettes are a communal thing, sharing with her friends, bringing relation, peace and decompression.
The cigarette builds camaraderie, and, to the conceptualist, is aesthetically pleasing.
