In this little corner of the digital world I present the first in my UNSPOKEN series which aims to unveil stories of women that need to be told. But first we need a little introduction…

The inspiration for these images came through John William Waterhouse, a pre-raphaelite painter. As soon as I saw his 1903 work Boreas I knew I had to explore the composition and colours by recreating my own version of the scene myself. And I knew exactly who would be the women to embody this idea. One of my very dearest friends and favourite humans, Helli. She lives in Brighton so I knew that the opportune windy location would present itself. And it did! We met in London studying dance 16 years ago and I love that here the wind is the choreographer in the scene.

I have always been drawn to pre-raphaelite art - maybe because of the way this art movement was rebelling against industrialisation and it’s fascination with the female form. So when I went to visit Helli one windy day in October and she wanted to drive out to Cuckmere Haven, I knew that this could be the perfect moment to explore movement and light in the East Sussex wilderness. The wind was fierce on this day, something that might seem surprising from these serene images.

Originally in the 1903 oil painting, the scene is very clearly a spring setting so it was interesting to try and emulate the composition at another transitional season when summer turns to winter. A pensive sky and introspective gaze is present in both the original and what I captured in late October. There was so much to consider, but as an artist, its such a joy sometimes to revel in the detail of what you are seeing.

In my version the flowers have passed, the greenery has lost it’s saturation and we are right where the river meets the sea. When I am drawn to a piece of art I don’t solely ask the obvious questions of do I like it or how does it make me feel, I also inquire into the artist, who they were and why they might be drawn to this subject matter, their gaze and why they would choose to create in the way they did.

Apparently Boreas was lost for 90 and only resurfaced in the 1990s, interesting considering I am creating a series of unspoken stories and lost voices that we are beginning to reclaim as women. And Boreas is actually the god of the North wind and seen as the personification of natural things. He is the bringer of winter which is the exact moment these photos were taken, the light and tones of the landscape really seem to evoke that starkness to me. But why a female body? And what was the fascination of the wind? In the Aesop tale the sun outwits the wind in its power by persuading the man to bring his coat off with warmth instead of force. An apt fable for these modern times…

As I edited and curated this images I was struck by how many diffferent emotions, aspects of femininty that are represented. There is a curiosity of what the scarf signifies as well as why I felt so complelled to recreate this image. The final image where Helli’s gaze meets yours is quite a provocative one. Does she finally realise we are looking at her or are we being invited for these images to serve as a mirror to our own interior landscape?

So here is your invitation…

As you scroll past each image, take your time. Let each image wash over you and journal what comes up. Here are some prompts to guide you if needed,

What does the wind signify for me - it’s strength, persistence, unpredictability?

What do the colours conjure?

How does the backdrop relate?

Which emotions or expressions resonate the most?

What role does the scarf play in your life? Is it a metaphor for something else?

As a group of images what do they evoke? Is there a single image that you want to hover over and stay with?

Can I connect it to another work of art, something going on in the world right now or an experience from my own life?

Strength and vulnerability - what do these mean to me?

What does the final image strike within me? What story does it tell?

Thank you for taking time to engage with this today. My hope is that it affects your soul as much as it did mine in this process and as I can always depend on when I make time to visit an art gallery. Images and icons, metaphors and stories are the making of us as a culture, as humans. As Tahir Shah reminds us in Arabian Nights,

So what now? Let the images swirl in your head as you go about your day. Come back to your journal later and see what lands for you. We have our ah-ha ideas (also knowing and understanding) when our minds are at rest and doing mundane tasks or even when we sleep. Listen to the whispers of you soul. And remember to tell your stories.

I’ll be back in 2022 with UNSPOKEN #2.

D x

P.S. Would love you to drop a comment below or come join me on Monday 13th over on Instagram and learn more about the importance of storytelling…