My House, My Rules

"I wanted to create a project where I invited girl friends who never posed nude. From the perspective of a woman who is also a photographer, my wish was to portray the naked form beyond the objectification and sexualization of women's bodies. I wanted these images to be a tool for empowerment and strength, of how we show ourselves to society. While doing that, it was important that our environment was a place they would feel secure, comfortable and, especially, safe -- that's why we chose their own homes and bedrooms. Having control over the location, the angles and poses was not only a technical choice but fundamental one. Brazil is a country where harassment, violence, abuse and gender inequality were long established as a societal norm, and the feeling of unsafety was and is common sense for all of us. The bond we shared during the sessions was so strong but also essential to the project's success. In one way or another, by being women, we all suffered violences of different kinds throughout our lives. Together, we healed some of them."