As a young woman I remember staring at glossy magazines, a constant reminder of the American Beauty. Growing up in rural Belgium I idolized the women in these magazines the way they looked, how they held themselves. The standardized beauty ideals stare back at generations of young women. A mirror for each of us, to reconsider our appearance constantly. Our bodies changing a reminder of time’s inevitable progression. We witness a transformation that's both inevitable and emotional.
This body of work shows young women between six and sixteen years old hovering between girlhood and womanhood. A loose strand of hair, a button open, an awkward gesture, the portraits show without illusion embrace uncertainty, imperfection, and contradiction. They look at once innocent, wise, hopeful, anxious, tender, and fierce. They might remind us of our fragility and offer a bit of hope. ( 2018 - Ongoing)
All Images © Eva Verbeeck