Sara Punt

\"What do you see when you\'re not looking?\"

\"What do you see when you\'re not looking?\" is an ongoing exploration of the human body, essence and form. I believe that when you explore your human form as a work of art, your idea of that form will change together with your perspective. Inspired by the eyes of a sculptor, I abstract the body to give the model, myself, and the viewer space to distance themselves from the photos. Leaving room to view the images without prejudices and judgement. There is a reason why people tend to have a hard time to open up to the people closest to them, but will tell their life story to a stranger they just met. The disconnection is the reason they find the space to connect. And that is exactly what I aspire to do with this project. Certain body parts can start to carry a lot of weight with them over time - because of trauma, bullying, sexual abuse, injuries, upbringing, social media, and so on. When I abstract the way I capture those body parts, it gives the models I shoot with the room to distance themselves from that weight - and then gives them the opportunity to view their bodies from a different perspective. For example: When a woman who has dealt with sexual abuse, looks at her own breasts in the mirror (something that used to be a trigger for her), our shoot gives her the opportunity to exchange that trigger for a reminder of her favourite photo that we shot. So now, when she looks in the mirror, instead of seeing her abuse, she’s able to see art. \"What do you see when you\'re not looking?\" is actually a question I ask myself every time I\'m shooting. We tend to only see the things we are familiar with. We see the things we don\'t like about ourselves in others. So, asking myself that question helps me to see the body for what it is - a living, breathing form, wrapped in skin, that you can create with. Instead of, seeing the things I am conditioned to see, and learned to have an opinion on. The question really is \"what do you see when you let go of all the views you were taught to have on the naked body?\". It pushes me to become an observer instead of letting my thoughts lead the way I capture the body I have in front of me. In this role as an observer I focus on the essence of the form I see. And the essence of that form changes every time, with every model. To find that ‘essence’, I play with shadows, and use a lot of black fabrics to cover up - and simultaneously reveal - certain body parts during the shoots. Until I find the form that speaks to me the most in that moment, and has the ability to change the way we perceive and experience our human bodies. Essentially, this project is an aesthetically abstract result of the combined stories of my models and myself. An exploration of our bodies without the judgements and sexualisation of society’s perceptions. And with the purpose to re-create the way we view and experience our human form.

Photographer

Sara Punt

1994, The Netherlands | Growing up as a dancer, I formed an intimate relationship with the human body’s ability to express. After I got injured, I taught myself photography as a new way to express myself. Now, I use photography as a tool to explore the concept of creating shapes and forms, with and within our bodies, with the purpose to change the way we experience our human form.

My shoots always start with a conversation with the model - lasting from 1 up to 6 hours - discussing everything our bodies have been through. And then, what is discussed inspires the way I photograph them. Besides the stories of my models; the way sculptors and dancers view the body as an ever-changing shape to express and create with, inspires me as well, and is something I strive for in my work.
My goal is to create an intimate safe space, where there’s room for honest vulnerability. So that both the model, and myself, can be challenged to step out of our comfort zones. My work is an aesthetic result of that intimate exchange.

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