Being naked is our most constant condition. As German philosopher Heinrich Heine says, “If you think of it right, we are all naked underneath our clothes,” and yet the taboo that surrounds nudity has rendered it reprehensible, indecent, a crime, or just plain embarrassing in most everyday situations.
Berlin-based artist Sophia Vogel looks to scrutinise this proscribed state that we all exist in through a new photo series called With and Without.
Berlin-based artist Sophia Vogel photographs normal people doing everyday things in the nude for With and Without – a series that looks to break down social constructs and taboos surrounding nudity.
With and Without explores the connotations of nudity without sexuality, and whether, today, one can exist without the other. Speaking with Creators, Vogel explains that her process involves asking subjects to go about activities that they enjoy doing, first clothed, then asks them to repeat the scene naked.
In an attempt to ease her audience into the stark nudity of her subjects, Vogel creatively conceals her models behind records, desks and pets. She hopes depicting subjects naked and in their comfort zone will normalise their nudity. “I love to present nudity in an aesthetic manner without any sexual context,” she says.
“Right now, I am unfortunately only able to get ahold of the younger generations,” she says. “But I would love to photograph a wide age range.”
Nonetheless, not all of Vogel’s subjects embody a modern depiction of beauty. They are normal people going about their everyday lives.
“Not every single nude photograph should be linked to sexuality… Probably some viewers will feel aroused while looking at the pictures, but I find it faulty to connect nudity to sexuality instantly.”
Check out some of the extensive series below. Or see it in full here.
Check out more of Sophia Vogel’s work on her website and help crowdfund a With and Without book here.
[via Creators]
