Standing Tall
“Silenced, Restrained, Beaten, Bruised, Yet, Standing Tall”
Single Edition - Metal Print, 16” x 24”, $350 .
Is currently on view at Rosebud Gallery, located at 839 Larkin Street in San Francisco, from May 1 through May 24, 2025.
From Grace:
July 2024, Lieven and I visited a women-owned gallery in a small town. They had this little corner of edgy art, and the owner told us they were looking for more female-presenting art, art about women, and art by women.
They were excited about the idea of Shibari art. I sent over our portfolio, and they said while they liked the photos, it was too explicit.
November 2024, I reached out again with some of our new work, pieces that truly focused on the beauty of Shibari and showcased the physical and emotional strength of a woman’s body.
Their response? They couldn’t stand behind “women being tied up… due to the current political climate.”
How ironic. In the name of protecting women from patriarchy, they deny a woman her autonomy and self-expression in art.
The vision of a strong woman, wearing her marks and wounds (only the visible ones, of course… we all know the trauma runs deeper), complete vulnerability… that vision was born the day I received that rejection.
Because women are being Silenced, Restrained, Beaten, Bruised… EVERY SINGLE DAY… physically and emotionally.
Yet, we STAND TALL!
I find strength and healing through Shibari. Our work is about honoring that strength and beauty, sharing it, and hopefully inspiring others along the way.
Photographed on my birthday…
Hands behind my back…
Ropes around my head…
Eyes covered... Mouth gagged…
Bruises still visible from an impact scene (consensual), just days before…
I may be hurt, wounded, and marked, and still, I stand tall not just in front of the camera, but in life…
Lieven captured my vision. Exactly as it was meant to be!
“Silenced, Restrained, Beaten, Bruised, Yet, Standing Tall” is currently on view at Rosebud Gallery, located at 839 Larkin Street in San Francisco, from May 1 through May 24, 2025.
From Lieven:
This was a very personal piece for Grace.
She visited me on her birthday, with a quite particular idea for a photo. It took me some trial and error to understand that we were not doing a conventional photoshoot. At first, I had set up soft portrait lighting. But traditional pretty elements (a hair light, a lit pedestal, etc.) were not appropriate here. I needed to listen instead of direct, to bring out her vision.
This shoot was about things Grace has overcome, and continues to overcome. Unbowed and still with a powerful belief in herself, even in the face of being told what the “right” way is to create feminist art.
We have learned a lot from our past shibari shoots. Even with basic ties, you don’t want them on too long. So we walked through the basics beforehand, getting the set and lights set up how we wanted. Then a quick tie, and we jumped into shooting.
Grace took advantage of some impressive bruises (from an entirely consensual birthday impact scene) to create a much darker look than we usually create. Where our other work is often serene, this involved harsher light and just a draped black cloth as a backdrop. She is not performing for the camera as most of us do, she has turned away from it. She is bound, without the reassurance of peaceful surroundings or even ground to stand on. Yet she has a strong stance. The moment is entirely about internal strength and self reliance.