Ana Espinal PHmuseum Limited Edition Print
Ana Espinal PHmuseum Limited Edition Print
Ana Espinal is a New York-based photographer. Born and raised in the Dominican Republic, Ana moved to New York City with her family as a teenager. Most recently, she has been working on a series of self-portraits investigating the intersection of femininity, identity and beauty. Ana is also exploring the ethnicity and physical characteristics of Dominican women. She received a BFA from School of Visual Arts in 2018, and AAS degree in Commercial Photography from CUNY, at LaGuardia College, in 2014
I use photography as a means to explore the everyday lives of women. I make self-portrait images focusing on topics related to women's issues, such as femininity, beauty standards, and body image. My vision is to create beautiful and provocative photographs and challenge viewers to engage more deeply with my work. I want to convey the hidden reality of the female body, the pain and the imperfections that are not openly talked about and remain invisible.The photograph Wild Hair is from the series “Beautiful Woman” made in 2018. This body of work focuses on an exploration of the female body and the discomforts imposed by modern femininity. I chose to create self-portrait photographs using materials that traditionally represent beauty, to demonstrate how females conform to societal pressures that beauty must be portrayed in specific ways, regardless of the physical pain. I closely worked with parts of the body I perceive women focusing on decorating in order to look and feel beautiful.