Looking at What You See

August 22, 2006

Georgia Rose 1 ~ Canon 30d

Everyone has many associations with a flower. You put out your hand to touch it, or lean forward to smell it, or maybe touch it with your lips almost without thinking, or give it to someone to please them. But one rarely takes the time to really see a flower. I have painted what each flower is to me and I have painted it big enough so that others would see what I see.
~ Georgia O'Keeffe catalog statement, 1926

Georgia Rose 2 ~ Canon 30d

I said to myself ~ I'll paint what I see ~ what the flower is to me but I'll paint it big and they will be surprised into taking time to look at it ~ I will make even busy New Yorkers take time to see what I see of flowers.
~ Georgia O'Keeffe

Georgia Rose 3 ~ Canon 30d

I feel there is something unexplored about woman that only a woman can explore.
~ Georgia O'Keeffe

Homage to Georgia O'Keeffe ~

During the summer months I often go down to visit my dad's lake house for long restful weekends. The photos above remind me of a midsummer visit last year when I was surrounded by a flock of women who were interested in the hows and whys of my flower photography. I started flipping through some images on my camera to show them some of my work, which were mostly macro florals. One of them brought up Georgia O'Keeffe's paintings and how much my photographs reminded her of them. The hint of an evil grin crept over my face as I glanced sideways across the yard to make sure none of the menfolk were within earshot, and I said, "You know, there's a definite sensuality to flowers. If you shoot them this close, it's astonishing how they mimic a woman's... even a man's... genitalia.

Yes, I uttered the word "genitalia" in front my parent's Uber-Republican Hen Friends. {What the hell was I thinking?}

"Well!" said one, "I've been gardening for over forty years, and I've YET to see THAT in a flower!"

"Really?" I said, "Could it be you're growing fake ones?"

Their mouths hung agape for a moment or two ~ the embarassed silence cut open by one of the most tightly strung of the three of them. Her eyes bulging with unbelieving exasperation she spurted, "Well, I guess you see what you're looking for."

{ Oh dear, she thinks I'm a pervert! }

"You could be right," I laughed, "perhaps you can't see what you're not looking for."

The most pregnant of pauses ensued, during which I toyed with asking their husbands to come over and offer their honest opinions on the subject. Before I had the opportunity to open my mouth or think better of it, the three of them ~ as if by magic ~ evaporated into the summer humidity, rematerializing themselves (without me) into the kitchen. Me? I skipped next door to the neighbor's rose garden, camera in hand, looking for more of nature's pornography.

Like Georgia, I've simply recorded what I see. Unlike Georgia, I have less room for interpretation ~ after all, these are unmanipulated images. Ironically, when pressed by a reporter about the sensuality of her paintings, Georgia's response was very similar to the lakehouse guest above. Georgia simply said the viewer sees what they want to see. If they want to see a vulva, then they'll see a vulva. She could be very mercurial and mysterious that way ~ refusing to give anyone the piece of her that they wanted and leaving the viewer's desire for what they so wanted to see in her unrelinquished.

Perhaps we all see what we're looking for, but I'd rather be looking at what I see. There's a difference. One is laced with preconceptions and fantasies ~ the more interesting one, an exercise in taking the time to really look, to become familiar with, what one sees.

Georgia Rose 4 ~ Canon 30d

Naming things, breaking through taboos and denial is the most dangerous, terrifying and crucial work. This has to happen in spite of political climates or coercions, in spite of careers being won or lost, in spite of the fear of being criticized, outcast or disliked. I believe freedom begins with naming things. Humanity is preserved by it.
- Eve Ensler, author of The Vagina Monologues

Yeah, this is the first time I've used the words vagina, genitalia and vulva on my blog, and I'm doing it with a motivation of racey whimsicality. Visit the V-Day site to learn about stopping violence against women and girls now.

Posted by vincent at August 22, 2006 08:19 AM

Comments

"Could it be you're growing fake ones?" What a perfect, absolutely ideal response. Thanks for the laugh!

Posted by: raj at August 22, 2006 02:28 PM

These photos are breathtakingly beautiful.

I don't suppose those women have ever seen a rabbit in the clouds either. Sad...

Posted by: Star at August 22, 2006 03:44 PM

I can appreciate what that moment must have been like for you, among those women! How funny that they couldn't let their guard down and admit the obvious. I'm just knocked over by the amazing and delicate beauty of your rose portraits!!! Can we buy copies of them on your other website somewhere? How do we get there, to where we can buy them?

Posted by: Wandering Willow at August 22, 2006 04:25 PM

This is a fantastic post. Dare I say it's sexy ~ the words and the images?

Posted by: Lynn at August 23, 2006 02:28 AM

These are amazing photographs. You have inspired me to look more closely, to go inside a flower. Oh, and I just love Georgia O'Keefe.

Posted by: candy at August 23, 2006 10:00 AM

I just love your sense of humor and teasing ... Let 'em have it!! Maybe one day they'll wake up and say, Oh....

Your images are gorgeoous!!

Posted by: jzrart at August 23, 2006 11:02 AM

I just love your sense of humor and teasing ... Let 'em have it!! Maybe one day they'll wake up and say, Oh....

Your images are gorgeoous!!

Posted by: Anonymous at August 23, 2006 11:03 AM

Your rose meditations are absoulutely fabulous! The commentary equally enjoyed. I changed my first name legally when in my early forties and it did set me free. When I read how the women reacted, I suspected that they have not ever looked at themselves and the whole idea most likely frightens them. To not see the resemblance seems a denial of what is...and to force someone to look when it scares them doesn't seem right either. I don't know how someone can be forced to see...even Georgia enlarging the images did not help people who did not want to go there. It seems funny to even think that a rose or our very bodies could be frightening... but it seems to be for some. I could look at roses forever and yours are so enchanting and beyond beautiful.

Posted by: mikaelah at August 23, 2006 12:11 PM

I've never thought different...

Posted by: dan at August 23, 2006 03:20 PM

40 years and she's never gotten a mirror? These ladies all need a copy of The Vagina Monologues, stat!

Love the photos as always, Susan!

Posted by: heather at August 23, 2006 06:02 PM

I will bet you that after that they could never look at a rose again without the thought of a vagina going through their mind... way to go Susan!!

Posted by: aola at August 23, 2006 09:31 PM

Lovely photos. Dialogue made me laugh. So-oo many responses!!!!

Posted by: janet at August 24, 2006 06:39 PM

Georgia would be honored, my these images are breathtaking and at the same time they take me far and deep in my imagination!

Posted by: tongue in cheek at August 31, 2006 06:39 PM