Heart them stirring by Tabitha Barnard

I started working on this project six years ago when I first started my undergrad degree. At the time my youngest sisters were thirteen.My sisters were around me all the time and I figured if they were there I should start photographing them.
Heart them stirring | Tabitha Barnard

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I started working on this project six years ago when I first started my undergrad degree. At the time my youngest sisters were thirteen.

My sisters were around me all the time and I figured if they were there I should start photographing them. As I photographed them, our relationships, and family dynamics more and more I realized that the situation I was raised in was not something everyone had experienced.

We lived in rural Maine, surrounded by woods, fields and the ocean. As the work developed it became more performative and theatrical. My sisters participate in the creation of each image. We were fairly isolated as children so we created elaborate fantasy games to play and entertain ourselves with. This aspect of ritual and fantasy has become intrinsic in my work. I’m interested in lifting a veil and allowing an audience to see a formerly private and intimate relationship forged between sisters. The work has heavy overtones of witchcraft, the occult, and the Christian religion.  My entire family was extremely religious and we spent every Sunday and Tuesday night attending church. In our church, some of the members demonized sexuality, femininity. But at the same time, I was surrounded by sisters, my mother, and aunts. I became really fascinated with the idea that in religion women were believed to be the weaker sex but at the same time were perceived to be so powerful that all it took was one sultry look or outfit to totally destroy a man’s will and morality. The bible story of King David and Bathsheba has always stood out to me. This same religious mentality brought on the New England witch panic. Since I was raised in New England it’s history with religion and witchcraft became so important to my work. In the images, my sisters become powerful seductresses, confrontational and powerful while on display. My photographs also aim to capture each of their transitions from girlhood to womanhood. A time in every woman’s life where they go from being children to sexualized beings. I want to capture the abject nature of this transition as well as the sublime aspects. Some of the images show my youngest sister compulsively picking at her scabs while the image next to it she’s gazing enticingly at the viewer in beautiful light. The push and pull relationship between the idea of the maiden or crone has always interested me. The traditional idea of a witch where she can appear beautiful and seductive when she wants to but reveals herself to be a hag the next minute. This is a body of work that has become so closely intertwined with my relationship with my sisters and I will probably continue make for my entire life. [Official Website]

Heart them stirring | Tabitha Barnard

Heart them stirring | Tabitha Barnard

Heart them stirring | Tabitha Barnard

Heart them stirring | Tabitha Barnard

Heart them stirring | Tabitha Barnard

Heart them stirring | Tabitha Barnard

Heart them stirring | Tabitha Barnard

Heart them stirring | Tabitha Barnard

Heart them stirring | Tabitha Barnard

Heart them stirring | Tabitha Barnard

Heart them stirring | Tabitha Barnard

Heart them stirring | Tabitha Barnard

Heart them stirring | Tabitha Barnard

Heart them stirring | Tabitha Barnard

Heart them stirring | Tabitha Barnard

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Dodho Magazine accepts submissions from emerging and professional photographers from around the world.
Their projects can be published among the best photographers and be viewed by the best professionals in the industry and thousands of photography enthusiasts. Dodho magazine reserves the right to accept or reject any submitted project. Due to the large number of presentations received daily and the need to treat them with the greatest respect and the time necessary for a correct interpretation our average response time is around 5/10 business days in the case of being accepted.
- Between 10/30 images of your best images, in case your project contains a greater number of images which are part of the same indivisible body of work will also be accepted. You must send the images in jpg format to 1200px and 72dpi and quality 9. (No borders or watermarks)
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To send it, you must compress the folder in .ZIP format and use our Wetransfer channel specially dedicated to the reception of works. Links or projects in PDF format will not be accepted. All presentations are carefully reviewed based on their content and final quality of the project or portfolio. If your work is selected for publication in the online version, it will be communicated to you via email and subsequently it will be published.
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Submission
Dodho Magazine accepts submissions from emerging and professional photographers from around the world.
Their projects can be published among the best photographers and be viewed by the best professionals in the industry and thousands of photography enthusiasts. Dodho magazine reserves the right to accept or reject any submitted project. Due to the large number of presentations received daily and the need to treat them with the greatest respect and the time necessary for a correct interpretation our average response time is around 5/10 business days in the case of being accepted. This is the information you need to start preparing your project for its presentation.
To send it, you must compress the folder in .ZIP format and use our Wetransfer channel specially dedicated to the reception of works. Links or projects in PDF format will not be accepted. All presentations are carefully reviewed based on their content and final quality of the project or portfolio. If your work is selected for publication in the online version, it will be communicated to you via email and subsequently it will be published.
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How can we help? Do you have an idea or something you'd like to share? Please use the form provided, or contact us at contact@dodho.com
Thank You. We will contact you as soon as possible.