Works of the Flesh

In the religious community I grew up in, there was an incredibly large emphasis placed on the biblical definition of the “flesh,” which represents the earthly body, and its complete separation from the “Spirit”, which represents God. This separation led to a belief in demonizing the existence of the body - any thought, expression or exploration of it was deemed inherently sexual and therefore sinful. These prohibited acts are often defined as ‘works of the flesh” and considered to be gateways to eternal damnation.

This project is the documentation of a laborious effort to explore the body as what it has been and what it could become. Taken in a private space, these images are the product of six hours of exposing, waiting, and revealing, entirely dependent on the camera’s interpretation of exposure and the unpredictable nature of instant film. The work draws from religious symbolism, representing the intense sacrifice and pain my body has endured in the name of maintaining the purity of others. The body is laid bare to reveal the physical markers of existence over time, showing creases, scars, rolls, curves, indents, and other entirely personal parts that are either claimed to be sovereignly owned by God or vilified for their perceived potential to squander holiness.

Works of the Flesh is not focused on a solid state of suffering but exists to vulnerably display the dual reality of inhabiting a body that has been and will continue to be sexualized - intense anguish at a lack of palpable body autonomy and the shimmering light of hope for healing that brings control and reclamation.

This book has been acquired by Toronto Metropolitan University's Special Collections Library.