Body as a Spatial Metaphor, 2019

The Embodied space is the location where human experience and        consciousness takes on material and spatial form – Setha M. Low

This photo essay explores the role of the human body as a spatial metaphor, as well as, women’s perception of seeing their body as a human canvas for self-expression. This essay’s primary research question seeks to represent through images how tattoos empower women to reclaim their bodies as their own “territory” while allowing them to build a sense of individuality and feel confident in their skin. Furthermore, I draw attention to the idea of interpreting tattoos as a marking that creates an intermediate space, wherein the body is the territory that becomes a medium of communication, and the skin becomes the boundary between the self (individual) and the other (society). By focusing on the concept of embodied space my aim is to ascertain how do tattoos create this “intermediate space” enabling women with new ways of communication and empowerment. The project is composed of 3 elements, a photo series portraying the women’s bodies, slogans and tattoos, a life-size body map, and a brief narration wrote by each participant describing each visual element of their body map.

Keywords: embodied space, territory, body space, women empowerment, tattoos, intermediate space, individuality, identity construction.