Face As Canvas

As a photographer, my latest natural art element has become my face.  I use my skin and features as canvas.  Human beings discovered face-painting as cave dwellers. They used it as a form of expression and communication.  Indigenous cultures around the earth practice body adornment as a tradition of worship.  Dancers paint their faces to call for blessings for their communities.  Many cultures on opposite parts of the world have created similar symbols and meanings for their face-paintings without ever meeting each other.  Therefore, this kind of painting has a global connection for all mankind.

 I use a micro lens to emphasize my blemishes, lines and wrinkles.  My images are cropped closely to reveal messages through abstract gestures.  Seeing my facial features at irregular angles enhance messages through the vocabulary of emphasis and exaggeration.

 My photograph “Green Line” conveys meaning through exaggeration.  The vertical green line creates a strong contrast for the horizontal composition of this portrait. The green paint dripped down my lips in an improvisational movement that seems to be design by the paint itself.  Facing the viewer denotes the sense of strength, confidence and courage.  The message is “Forward movement, always”.