A Body of Work — Introduction
For the last few months, I have been working with henna artist Kelly Flaherty and photographer Paul Teeling on the planning stages of a project tentatively called, A Body of Work, which examines the intersection of three art forms — henna body art, photography and yoga.
Since my first henna design by Kelly, I have been intrigued by this form of temporary artistic expression and wanted to explore it further. I half-jokingly asked Kelly if she had ever done a full-body application of henna, and although she hadn’t, she was eager to explore it. We knew early on that if we were to engage in such a huge undertaking, it had to be documented. I had casually talked with Paul about a yoga and photography collaboration previously, and while it never materialized then, this project piqued his interest. Paul’s idea was to go beyond merely documenting a process or an end result; he proposed creating not only artistic photographs but also a video of moving art, a video that will stand on its own as a work of art.
We have discussed design elements and themes for the body art; style and content of the photographic element; yoga poses that might best integrate the henna designs into movement. We have explored what this all means to each of us – now, at this point in our lives.
And although I can speak only for myself, A Body of Work represents a culmination of a lifetime of creative expression. In a literal sense the human body is a canvas onto which is painted a design concept. But the body is also a container for all the creative work that has led each of us to this moment in our lives and our careers. For me as a yoga teacher and practitioner, the human body is a work of art in and of itself, constantly changing and evolving, beautiful in all its imperfections. The body tells its own story.
It is one thing to document the body, to document painting or drawing or other forms of visual art. But when the art is drawn on the body; when the story of a life is written on the body, albeit abstractly; when movement and stillness are expressed in photography and videography, it goes beyond documentation. It is this confluence of yoga, henna designs, photography and video as an expression of three artists at this point in time that is truly exciting to me.
We are now a week away from the daunting task of Kelly applying hours of designs onto my entire body; Paul photographing and videoing that process; and my creating movement and stillness through yoga once the henna has settled into its deepest hues. For my part I have tried to keep myself out of the sun to create as much contrast as possible between the sepia-burgundy henna stains and my own skin tones.
And today I shaved my head.
Short Shorter Shaved
I’ve worn my hair very short for the past few years, so shaving my head shouldn’t have been a big deal, but as the day approached I realized that removing one of the major physical markers of identity is a big deal. I initially thought I would do it the day Kelly applied henna to my head, but as we discussed various practical aspects of the project, it became clear that I would have to shave my head well in advance of the actual henna day. I wanted to give my head time to absorb some color and blend more with my face, neck and shoulders. But I also needed some time to get accustomed to the look. Shaving my head and applying henna designs to my entire body (including my face and head) all on the same day may have been too much – for me, as well as for my family and friends.
As we move into A Body of Work at its most intense phase in mid-July, I will continue to write about it and share some of those thoughts and experiences. Keep watching this space…