Paola Hernandez
Growing up Female: Until We Meet Again
Inkjet print and colored pencil
14 x 11 inches
Growing up Female: Honoring Capabilities
Inkjet print and colored pencil
14 x 11 inches
Recently, my mind has been consumed with the idea of femininity and what Growing up Female means to me. The women who molded my upbringing affected my perception of the female sex. My whole life, I’ve had the profound honor of being surrounded by women who embody unforgiving femininity. As I begin to embark on this new journey, college that is, I’ve decided to explore this idea further. Although I’ve had strong female figures throughout my life, I still believe it’s important to reflect on the gender roles I’ve personally experienced.
My aim is to share the diversity of female identities that live within my personal life. Through my photos, I hope to showcase two different subjects that I feel as though emulate distinct female identities in today’s society. I decided to take portraits of people with whom I am rather close to, this choice working to depict the comfortability between the subjects and I. The subjects you see in my portraits work to create this “circle of life” ideal with the contrasting ages and stages of life present.
I have also decided to accompany my photos with bodies of writing. I chose to do this because I wanted both works of art to mirror the importance of female empowerment and the theme of Growing up Female. As a young adult and woman of color, it’s important for girls like myself to believe in their capabilities beyond the roles assigned to them by society.
Click images to enlarge.
