the v-book
Introduction
Since Sept. 2000, I have been capturing a glimpse of women’s most private selves. So private that most women haven’t seen their own, much less others.
I have been making vagina portraits.
The v-portraits are close-up, documentary photographs. There are no stylists to set the mood for fantasy—just the elusive faces of the vagina in plain view. Each strikingly unique.
vagina vérité® celebrates individuality and the beauty of all women. The book presents the point of view typically reserved for gynecologists and lovers, the view that is generally hidden, or avoided. So women can see ourselves for ourselves.
This project came to me out of the blue and took hold of me in a way that still surprises me [even after ten years of residing at what became vagina central—where 30-92 v-portraits were installed on my living room walls, and repeatedly being greeted by my friends' friends with "O, you're the vagina girl!" and so many intimate, inside-out conversations you usually don't get to have].
Unless you were looking for this project, you’re probably surprised to be here, too. Maybe you’re nervous about it [just what am I going to find here??]. Maybe you’re excited [thinking about my body turns me on!], or impatient [it's about time!] or speechless [ ] – it doesn’t matter where you’re at: this is about you, and if you’re a woman, this is for you.
Welcome to vagina vérité® — an unabashed exploration of the plain, ordinary, mysterious matter of vaginas.
I’d like to publish the book via a traditional publishing house. If you’ve got ideas about how to do that, they are welcome. Meanwhile, I’ve written the text to introduce the images in the book. You’ll find parts of the text & drafts in blog posts. And, you’ll find the complete current final version here. You can download it, read it and comment on it.
You won’t find the vulva images here, or anywhere online. I have no plans to make the v-portraits available online, though I may exhibit again before publishing. An Artist’s Print of the book is available for purchase here. (that’s the book cover up there on the right). If you’d like to be kept informed about the project, sign up for my newsletter or subscribe to this blog.
