Tanya Vulfson
My concentration explores the contrasting relationship between beauty and mortality in nature and humanity. The pulchritude of my subjects is seemingly natural and wholesome, yet their beauty is actually quite contrived. Their eyes are inauthentically bright, their skin flawlessly smooth: exaggerated characteristics associated with youth and beauty. Society considers these traits mutually exclusive, yet the admiration we have for nature stems from its cyclical and ancient resilience.
I used elements in nature that contradict the “young is beautiful” mentality. For the piece 9 (Leaves), I collected leaves that had fallen off of trees as winter was approaching. Although the autumnal changes of color occur at the end of a leaf’s life and when it is “old”, it is also when the leaf is most beautiful. I also chose to photograph girls who were just exiting puberty in order to capture the sense of vitality and beauty they emit as they blossom into adulthood. The elements selected for the pieces 11 (Feathers) and 4 (Butterflies) reflect this choice; the feathers of a baby bird are always much less sleek and impressive than those of their fully-grown parents. Similarly, a butterfly begins its life as a caterpillar and emerges as a beautiful creature after a transformation in its cocoon.