Nancy Gesimondo

Lives and works in New York, NY, USA

Artist statement

The photographs in this series are influenced by the tradition of pioneering feminist artists, such as Anne Brigman, Judy Chicago and Ana Mendieta who are the subject in photographic images in nature. Landscape is presented in these images to convey a connection to, and reverence for the natural world. Photographs of one's self are often assumed to be self-portraits. My point with these images is to suggest a persona, to embody and become something other than myself. These reflections draw upon themes associated with mythic images of the priestess that embody divine female power. In the ancient world, the priestess officiated sacred rituals. Their spiritual authority came from their inner wisdom, which was deeply grounded in the natural world. The titles of each of these reflections are verbs that ground us in the “doing”, and in this active sense reconnect us to the physical world and emphasize our corporeal nature. Framed in vintage ocular shaped frames create a lens into a timeless space that reminds us of how intimately we are embedded in the physical world.

Artwork