Ibelise Paiva
Reserved (Series)
DESCRIPTION
What happens when we think nobody really sees us?
Well, we might feel that we are weird, that there is something wrong, something that doesn't fit with the rest of the world. We feel locked in our behavior, fragmented because only certain parts seem visible, living in the shadows, behind windows, far from the outside world.
Sad, isn't it?
No, it isn't. I decided it doesn't have to be that way. In this series, there is a fragmented person we see through reflections or behind shadows, framed in windows, mirrors, and glasses. Sometimes, she looks outward with curiosity but without despair. These photos are not sad; they use aesthetic elements that make them attractive. They are sometimes playful and show a mysterious and interesting person. We don't know much about her world, which also has a halo of mystery; we only have a few clues. We get the impression that something interesting is happening behind it all.
This person is me, and this world is my home. There are no artifacts, no scenery or special lighting—just me and my home, or what I have decided to show through unexpected angles, reflections, and shadow play.
AUTHOR
Born and raised in Venezuela, I have lived in France since 2003. I first came to Paris inspired by images from films of the French New Wave, but since I could not find them, I started creating my own images.
Photography started to be a real passion for me from 2010 onwards. A 365 project and many self-portraits followed. The self-portraits, in particular, allowed me to explore the possibilities of photography in a comfortable and reassuring environment.
In 2012, I decided to test my way of seeing in Lifestyle photography and I stopped doing significant personal work. All changed in 2020. During the lockdown, my personal photography took priority, especially my self-portraits.
I won 3rd place in the self-portrait category of the 2021 IPA photography competition and an honorable mention in the 2021 Julia Margaret Cameron Award.
In 2022, Caro Cuinet invited me to participate in her book Voir la lumière. It features a selection of my self-portraits and my testimony explaining my process.
My first series of self-portraits was exhibited in 2012 in Paris as part of the group exhibition 20 ans, beaucoup, passionnément…
My self-portrait Home was exhibited in 2022 as part of the 6th Barcelona Foto Biennale.
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