Photographer Marjorie Salvaterra’s newest book, HER: Meditations on Being Female, explodes off the page with raw female energy.
Here at BUST, the word “woman” follows “strong” like U follows Q. It feels redundant to say that HER: Meditations on Being Female is “empowering,” but damn if that’s not what it is! Drawing inspiration from the visceral portraits of Cindy Sherman, in addition to the lavish surrealism of Federico Fellini, Salvaterra’s photographs are a riotous celebration of what it means to be a woman. Through Salvaterra’s lens, you are able to put yourself into the shoes of her characters, while simultaneously aspiring to be more like them.
I mean, look at this photo and tell me you’ve never felt like that Sisyphean sister up there! Plopped into stark black-and-white settings, trussed up in glamorous gowns and crowned with over-the-top curly wigs, Salvaterra’s subjects stand out like goddesses in their harsh environments, whether that happens to be the rugged terrain of nature or the banal backdrop of the laundromat down the block.
The vibrance of Salvaterra’s images belies the grey-toned palette in which they are shot. Spartan, dramatic, opulent and revolutionary, HER is a shot of adrenaline to the heart. Take a look at these images:
Photographs from HER: Meditations on Being Female by Marjorie Salvaterra, copyright 2016, published by Glitterati Incorporated
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