metamorphosis

  • Dates
    2021 - Ongoing
  • Author
  • Locations Atibaia, Brazil

Metamorphosis, in process

The essay recounts my own experience of the body harboring and nurturing another life in formation.

The body that I belong to and that was never mine before society; that judges, demands, harasses and forces. I discover in that belonging, the power of the body, the strength and power of gestating, another life pulsates in my womb. I document in images the physical and emotional transformation of this experience and the loneliness of a pregnant woman, enhanced in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, far from hugs and touching.

© Ilana Bar - Image from the metamorphosis photography project
i

Atibaia, October 21, 2020. childhood photo, I am standing holding a staff, my brothers on top of a horse. A manual intervention was done on this image with the intention of showing my uterus and highlighting my difference with my brothers

© Ilana Bar - Image from the metamorphosis photography project
i

Atibaia July 23, 2020. Self-portrait at home.With the intention of illustrating the physical and emotional change, I made a self-portrait that merges my reflection on the computer screen with another self-portrait displayed on the screen.

© Ilana Bar - Image from the metamorphosis photography project
i

Atibaia, October 2, 2020.Self-portrait at home. I hold a mirror with my feet and it reflects my navel and part of my belly. It is an attempt to recognize the life that is flowing inside me and translate how I was feeling living this transformation.

© Ilana Bar - Image from the metamorphosis photography project
i

Atibaia, October 28, 2020.Self portrait at home. There is no physical image of me in this photo. But by portraying an avocado seed germinating on a red duvet, I felt represented. that was exactly how I was feeling, with a life welling up in my belly.

© Ilana Bar - Self portrait at home. my body is in transformation, I feel the power of life in me.
i

Self portrait at home. my body is in transformation, I feel the power of life in me.

© Ilana Bar - Image from the metamorphosis photography project
i

Self-portrait at home. I made a self-portrait with my shadow, printed this photo and with a needle I made an intervention. The point of light represents my daughter growing inside of me. My body is a dwelling place for it to be nourished and grow healthy.

© Ilana Bar - Image from the metamorphosis photography project
i

Self portrait at home. The photo shows how I spent Christmas pregnant. I am very nauseaThe blur is purposeful to represent my nauseaThe image was made with a tripod, directed by me and with the help of my partner. I was really nauseous

© Ilana Bar - Image from the metamorphosis photography project
i

Self-portrait at home. The picture shows me in a towel and bathrobe after getting out of the shower. I'm pregnant with my daughter Liz. At this stage of pregnancy I was very tired and my belly was already starting to weigh a lot.

© Ilana Bar - Self portrait at home.
i

Self portrait at home.

© Ilana Bar - Image from the metamorphosis photography project
i

self portrait whit my daughter at home. maternal work is made invisible. Who sees the mother? Who is the mother?now, even I can't see myself.Who takes care of the beginning of life?This image contains intentional digital manipulation

Latest Projects

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Stay in the loop


We will send you weekly news on contemporary photography. You can change your mind at any time. We will treat your data with respect. For more information please visit our privacy policy. By ticking here, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with them. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.