The idea of Below started with my desire to create a series of art work that had a purpose. As a woman who has experienced an emotionally abusive relationship, I have come to understand that one of the main reasons it was destructive and lasted so long was because of my inability to speak up. Women tend to keep a lot of these realities hidden; especially those which are considered controversial or even circumstances that will make us seem less in the eyes of others. Women hide these traumatic experiences away inside themselves out of fear of retaliation, rejection, or abandonment.

Using highlighter to write text on the skin and exposing it to a black light, I wanted to capture the intensity of the emotions women hide. These emotions encompass so much of who women are and yet are only visible in the most vulnerable and intimate instances. With this series of photographs I hope to expose a few of the deep issues that women face and shed some light for those who cannot or refuse to see the reality around them. Abortion, physical abuse, divorce, suicide, and emotional abuse are only a few of the many issues that plague women, but I pray that this will enlighten others of the battles women face and make them aware of what transpires below.



-alexandria quinn alkire