Mara Cabral


I have a background in contemporary dance and performance and have created and performed my own solos. When I started exploring photography as a medium, self-portraiture came very naturally. I love the freedom it gives me to explore movement and expression and then crystallise moments of it in a photograph. My art is very connected to the notion of human nature and self-exploration. I use it to process and convey feelings. In self-portraiture, my body becomes the medium I use to compose a photo. I try to mold it and visually manipulate it to adjust to the needs of a particular project. As with performance, I need to embody a feeling, a character, and/or a state of mind, for a self portrait to make sense to me. The performative quality of self-portraiture allows for many layers of meaning and interpretation. Images can be relatable at a deep level of understanding even when they are not easily explained by logic.

Comments

  1. HollyMay 3, 2023 at 10:14 AM

    Beautiful image!! I love how you discussed the relationship of performance in self portraiture, it’s a lovely example of how the two intersect

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mara CabralMay 9, 2023 at 6:21 PM

      Thank you Holly! This is something I am very interested in and I am glad this blog appeared on my path because it has reminded me to again, put some focus and effort in this. I want to take it deeper but find it hard to include this exploration in every day life nowadays.

      Delete
  2. AnonymousMay 9, 2023 at 12:09 PM

    I also use photography for self exploration - now involving embodied practice. I too find great freedom in this." Images can be relatable at a deep level of understanding even when they are not easily explained by logic." This seems a fantastic point to me, i would like to see more of your work please?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mara CabralMay 9, 2023 at 6:23 PM

      Thank you! I have a few more examples of self portraiture in here: https://maracabralphotography.weebly.com/self-portraits.html but I do feel I need to keep on exploring this a lot further. I'd love to see your work too and I'm curious about what you mean by 'embodied practice'.

      Delete
  3. Adele Giles Art ResearchMay 19, 2023 at 7:34 PM

    The way you describe using self-portraiture as a medium to capture and crystallize moments of movement and expression is truly inspiring. Your description of using your body as the medium to compose a photo showcases the embodiment of a feeling, character, or state of mind, similar to the process in performance. This parallel between performance and self-portraiture highlights the immersive and transformative nature of both practices.

    This particular piece evokes a profound sense of reflection for me, reminiscent of the delicate beauty and transience of a withering flower. The imagery captures the fragility of life itself, conveying a depth of emotion that is truly compelling. It is evident from your self-portrait that your background in dance has imbued you with an effortless poise and grace, beautifully accentuated by the flowing lines and the captivating headpiece you have incorporated. Your execution is simply superb, leaving a lasting impression.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Artmuseum Alexandra FlyMay 30, 2023 at 8:23 PM

    A very poetic, beautiful self -portrait, it is already a piece of art in itself

    ReplyDelete
  5. Artmuseum Alexandra FlyMay 30, 2023 at 8:24 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

comments are now disabled for this dialogue

Popular posts from this blog

Demeter Dykes

Image
As a mature woman my work is the result of frustrations in relation to others’ expectations and misconceptions of me. Taking up space, unapologetically, has allowed a performative version of myself to emerge. I am interested in this commitment to performativity by mature women on social media sites. My images are made quickly and with materials and props that are to hand. The resulting photographs include filters and digitally drawn elements that build a persona, and my working process can be seen as a playground for the exploration of potential irreverent storytelling, both real and imagined. The swirling farrago of sensations that is menopause slaps you in the face, hard, and lets you know, unequivocally, that you are on a one-way street with no turning circle at the end of it. So, having less life ahead of me than there is behind compels my heels to dig into the earth so that the dizzying swiftness with which I am travelling along this one-way street, towards the exit from which th
Read more

Esther Sabetpour

Image
I am a London based photographer, artist and storyteller of Scotish - Iranian parentage. I explore transformation, through intuative self portraiture and embodied performance. I work with with notions of identity using environments which reflect my phycological, physical or emotional landscape. Using photo montage, moving image and performance in my self portrait process, which began in 1998. As a photographer and burns survivor, my self portrait process boosts my welbeing emotionally and physically. This liberating spiritual process enables me to embody and interpret potent feelings and themes I feel trapped, which I cannot seem to be express through words. Through the repetion (and recordings) of often slight, slow, intuitive movements, I begin to experince another relationship to my self and stories. The process enables me to tune in to my feelings and make contact with layers of trauma within my body. In 2017 I began a dance based embodied movement practice. This practice enabled m
Read more

Rachael Rutherford

Image
The interests within my practice at large lie with portrayals of the body and how we heal through and with them. This has often been framed within the female body and it’s mis/treatment within healthcare settings.Using textiles and sculptural techniques, the nature of performance and self-portrayal comes through in the form of costume creation. The costume allows for sculptural elements to overtake the human form and in the context of my own practice, takes the internal and visualises it on the external. Thinking through the work as a visual form and way of healing, textile coverings allow the self-portrayal to embody something beyond the human form, a monstrous re-imagining of the self. For me, the performative aspect comes through within the use of video as documentation of the wearing of the costume. The creatures created exist within these videos as a way to create a barrier between the self and the audience, while creating an intimacy between the costume and its wearer that gener
Read more