Let it go, by Norma Córdova, aka, shesaidred
Growing up as a Catholic Latina, I was very aware of well defined female roles. At the time, I did not dare to question them out loud. I adhered to them innocently, thinking that this was the way the world operated. In current times, some photographs of females are often stigmatized as one dimensional representations of women to appease the male gaze. But what if a woman, as a female, chooses and sees herself as a desirable being? Does that mean her images should be subject to the old male gaze contextualization? Can women ever fully be free to embrace that side of themselves without inviting judgement? What if the feminine chooses that side of themselves? Or better yet, what if the self sees themselves as a desirable being? Does choice not matter? Is that not what freedom means: challenging, or letting go of preconceived notions? I find myself photographing women to liberate myself from my past. I explore femininity collaboratively, photographing close friends and acquaintances. We come together. There is a relationship built on trust. At times, it comes from unspoken words, a synergy between the two. There is a femininity: full, frank, and free. Throughout my work, I use moody narratives that evoke life’s dark nuances of fear, anxiety, and pleasure. A safe space free of judgement that is filled with wonder and curiosity.
Norma Córdova, aka, shesaidred, is a Mexican-American photographer, filmmaker, and mixed media artist. She is known for her framed dream-like cinematic stills and is based in Oakland, California; She was born and raised in Oregon, by hard-working Mexican immigrant parents before becoming fascinated with the world of photography and filmmaking.
Her image based work creates illusions that conjure the realms of the imagination without presenting a factual reality. They intersect femininity, self identity, and wonder. She works traditionally, shooting film, Polaroids, paper negatives, making chromogenic prints in the darkroom, and occasionally incorporating mixed media. Her work has been exhibited in the US and abroad, and has been published in The New Yorker, New York Times, Vice, PDN, and Lenscratch. In 2020, Córdova was included in the Top Photolucida 50 Critical Mass, and won best of show at the Center for Photographic Art’s International Juried Exhibition. She is currently setting up her office and studio space.
Beautiful!!