The Photographer's Wife

What are lessons art history teaches women, specifically those regarding the female muse? Is it possible to internalize these lessons, and if so, what effect does this have on one’s own production? A female character runs through a series of poses while gazing intimately at the camera. A voice off screen is demanding and familiar, giving feeling of intimacy. Viewers get the sense they’re seeing something private, perhaps an artist collaborating with their lover. The model/subject’s job is always performative — she must be able to portray both a true and idealized self. In this case, the problem is slightly more complicated. As both artist and model I must convey not only this multiple subjectivity, but also reflect back to the viewer an imagined photographer/husband. The video unpacks the performance taking place on both sides of the camera, examiningthe ways power can shift from artist to model, and asking whether the results of this exchange are more a representation of one or the other.