So this is the story of a roman statue. A photoshoot I have been wanting to do for quite a while.
So you may have noticed, I have been trying to express how much I believe that people are art. Our lives are stories and the moments we live in are our future history. What better way to express that than a photoshoot where you are in fact, the literal art; a statue.
This photoshoot, I interpret in many different ways but here is the story that drives it the most.
A roman statue is sculpted, but as the days go on, he has been left behind. He wants to be amongst the crowd and be accepted so he does what we are all guilty of doing. Chipping away at himself to be more perfect, more chiseled. As he starts to chip off the paint, he at first hates what's underneath. What's vulnerable begins to show; his skin. No longer stone, he is made of flesh. Human. He can no longer chip away at himself.
It takes a while, but eventually he realizes what is underneath is exactly who he is. For so long he carried the weight of the stone, the weight of being perfectly shaped for someone else's vision. He desperately works to take off more of his stone-like skin. It sheds off and he realized who he is underneath is perfect. It's who he is. He finds beauty in his vulnerability, in the things that are different but make him who he is. Unique.
Interpretation:
Instead of doing things that we feel we should, due to societal standards. We should be doing what makes us happy. What makes us feel accomplished in what makes us unique. Never feel like you can't do something because people they tell you you can't. You are only what you make of yourself.
This is also the conversation of how social media has driven us to feel like we have to be perfect, but we forget that social media is a platform where we inherently show off our best selves. All we see are people achieving and showing off their best selves. Seeing this, we tend to think the worst of ourselves. "I wish I looked like that.", "How can I ever look like that." It happens so fast we don't realize we are thinking these things. Especially as social media becomes faster paced. Rarely do we see the hard work and rigorous 'behind the scenes' that it took for them to get there. It doesn't just happen. But still, we will look for quick solutions. We 'chisel' at ourselves. But instead we harm ourselves, seeking solutions that are harmful, but quick!
Instead, we need to just love ourselves the way we are. Life happens fast, so we need to take it slow and live in the moment. Treat others the way we want to be treated. In a world where we all did this, it'd be a lot more fun, loving and accepting. Instead of celebrating what makes us all the same, but what makes us different.
These are all things I am trying to work on as well. It's hard not to compare but in celebrating instead of feeling envy, I have found that I can feel peace. Others will think what they want, that will always be the case. But they don't know who you really are, only you do.
So the best take away from this is, be yourself! Be a little weird! Celebrate others for what makes them unique. That's the way you will find authenticity.
Now go have a beautifully unique day!
