Weaving Wonders

I don't know about you guys, but I am personally ready for fall to arrive. I can't wait for the colors of fall. Not only do the trees' rich, earthy hues captivate the photographer's eye, but they also are wonderful colors to wrap yourself in against the season's crisp weather.

I just discovered the beautiful, handwoven scarves of fashionABLE. This non-profit organization aims to create sustainable business for women in Africa. Currently their scarves are made by women participating in their first program in Addis Ababa. I didn't realize this until my scarf (like the striped one pictured above) arrived, which has a tag indicating it was "Made in Ethiopia". fashionABLE just released a number of new styles for fall that I highly encourage you to check out. I guarantee - these scarves will keep you warm inside and out!

(sidenote: this discovery is such perfect timing as I'm currently reading Abraham Verghese's Cutting for Stone. This book is a beautifully woven tale of twins, born from mysterious and haunting circumstances, who come of age in Ethiopia during the 1960's and 1970's. I can't put it down!)

Another Me

It's been tricky getting back on the blogging bandwagon after a week off, but I've been eager to share the "Another Me" project. I was first introduced to this project when conducting undergraduate research on human trafficking and sexual exploitation in Southeast Asia. After an interview with ECPAT International, I was handed a publication by the Another Me project featuring the work of documentary photographer Achinto Bhadra.

A collaboration between the Lausanne-based Terre des Hommes and Indian NGO Sanlaap, Achinto's striking portraits were of women and girls who have seen some of the darkest corners of our humanity. The part-photography/part-counseling sessions were to support these girls in "transforming their pain into power".

"Through the months of the project, the girls and women were guided by the counselor and the photographer to seek an expression of themselves... something, anything, they wanted to be... What originated as a simple photography project had become a healing experience." 

I personally love that the props and make-up used to protect the identities of his subjects further enhanced the portrayal of each girl's resiliency of spirit...

(clockwise from upper left - A Budding Branch; Durga the Powerful; A Sheltering Tree and; The Parrot)

Sticks and Stones

Behind the pop culture curve, as usual, I recently caught wind of Kanye West's new music video for his song, "Monsters" via Good Magazine. 

I can't say I'm surprised at the music video's disturbing portrayal of seemingly dead women because our society continues to be fed images that glamorize violence against women. I could give the producers the benefit of the doubt and speculate that they intended to create a shocking "artistic" critique against the glamorization of violence - but I won't. From ads for Dolce & Gabbana to songs about S&M from Rihanna, these images of women being threatened, brutalized or killed are becoming trendy, normalized and even worse, portrayed as sexy.

The roots of this sociological phenomenon are intriguing, but I just wish there were a bigger trend in the opposite direction - in the production of positive images of women.

One photographer who's certainly doing his share to construct an alternative story of women is the French artist, JR. Famous for his large-scale photographs of women plastered throughout Brazilian favelas or on the train cars of Kenya's railway, his "Women Are Heroes" project celebrates women's undying generosity and strength of spirit.

Some of his installations are below. You can find out more about the "Women Are Heroes" project and documentary here and see his TEDtalk from March.