We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Emmanuelle Glazier. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Emmanuelle below.

Alright, Emmanuelle thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you tell us about a time that your work has been misunderstood? Why do you think it happened and did any interesting insights emerge from the experience?

My work has always centered around the female form as its primary subject matter. I explore themes of femininity, beauty, and emotional tension, often utilizing nudity and expressive body language to convey a narrative. In one of my earlier pieces, I created a series of photography portraits focusing on two closely intertwined female bodies. Through their body language, I sought to illustrate the love and heartache between two lovers whose relationship was reaching its end. I submitted this series to a photography competition, but unfortunately, it received negative feedback. The critique argued that the images fell “into the same cultural traps that encourage / promote the objectification of women” and contributed to the “cultural power of the male gaze”. This critique deeply troubled me, leading me to create a new series titled “Returning the Gaze.”

In “Returning the Gaze,” I approached several women and asked them how they wanted to be portrayed in a portrait that confronted the objectification of women. They had the autonomy to decide how they wanted to be presented, emphasizing their personal perception of beauty and femininity. The portraits were captured using large format film. I hold a great fondness for this series, as it captured the vulnerable yet strong connection these women had with the camera. As I had anticipated privately, numerous women voluntarily embraced their naked bodies as a symbol of beauty and strength, with a desire for their nude forms to be subjects to be admired.

As I progressed in my artistic endeavors, I continued to face negative feedback regarding my portrayal of female nudes. Viewers interpreted the nudity, poses, and adorned bodies as references to female oppression, despite it not being my intention. I understand that art stands on its own, and as an artist, I must accept that people will attribute their own meanings and interpretations to the work. However, I do find it disconcerting when my work is misunderstood and mischaracterized. My goal is to connect with viewers through shared human experiences, though each individual’s cultural and personal influences inevitably shape their connection to the artwork. For instance, while I perceive the female body as a symbol of divine beauty and strength, others may view it as a symbol of rejection, oppression, and pain.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am a visual artist based in Brooklyn, NY. From a young age, I have enjoyed oil painting, drawing, singing, and writing. During my time in college, I decided to take a photography class purely out of curiosity. Surprisingly, I developed a deep love for the medium and made the decision to pursue it professionally, ultimately completing my BFA at the School of Visual Arts. My mission as an artist is to create thought-provoking, conceptual imagery through art direction, production, photography, and video.

In my personal artistic endeavors, I primarily focus on fine art photography and video. I frequently explore themes related to femininity and personal identity. I often utilize personal experiences as a foundation to illustrate concepts such as family bonds, emotional tension, perceived ideals, hope, rebirth, beauty, and strength.

I am inspired by my life as a woman, raised within Orthodox Judaism, a Moroccan-American, a lesbian, and integrating frictional elements of my identity. Drawing on classical arts and symbolism as aesthetic inspiration, I enjoy weaving my traditional cultural influence with modernity, individuality, and personal expansion.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me, art is a spiritual practice. It challenges me to hone patience, calmness, listening, letting go, and openness. When I resist the unknown and allow perfectionism, control, judgement, and expectation to distract my mind, inspiration eludes me. However, when I find myself in a state of flow, it instills a profound sense of connection to something greater than myself.

As I mentioned earlier, my aspiration is to create art that is both beautiful and meaningful, resonating with people on a deep level. When someone expresses a genuine connection to my work, it is most rewarding. I believe that such resonance has the power to heal, serving as a reminder that we are all interconnected.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

To foster great art, it is important to encourage critical thinking, emotional awareness, and imagination in individuals. As a society, we must acknowledge and uphold the intrinsic value of art. Artists serve as visionaries who not only push the boundaries of innovation and challenge societal norms, but also compel us to confront our own psyche. Our societal inclination is often to teach children compliance and adherence to instructions rather than fostering a spirit of questioning and idea-challenging. Consequently, many individuals grow up disconnected from their intuition, emotions, and imagination. Emotional sensitivity and artistic exploration are dismissed as childish and often disregarded. Furthermore, artists often struggle to receive adequate compensation for their work, as society tends to prioritize scientific and technological advancements, economic productivity, and instant gratification.

We need to cultivate an environment that values creativity, imagination, and the transformative power of art. By doing so, we can create a society that celebrates the unique contributions of artists, nurtures their talents, and acknowledges the profound impact of art in shaping our collective experiences.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.emmanuelleglazier.com
• Instagram: @emmanuelleglazier
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/emmanuelleglazier