Catherine Opie is a photographer who's work I really like. I am inspired by her portrait photography, formerly for the vibrant images she produces but content wise because of the strong androgenous figures she presents. This is a big influence on me in the way I use the figure. When I do use a body that is less androgenous, that is, more obviously female, I tend to hide the face all together or leave it more simplified so that you even if you can put a clear label of feminine or masculine on it you can not label someone. It's about not letting the viewer go directly to one end of the feminine/masculine pendulume our society operates by but drawing attention to this often ignored or forgotten middle ground. My use of figure images is about gender-bending, breaking stereotypes and walking the feminine/masculine line but at the same time, being certain and celebrating the fact that I am female, but able to walk in the middle when it comes to roles.
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