REDEAT WONDEMU
GOING BACK TO MY ROOTS, 2020
digital photos: Nikon 750D
"Self portraits are harder to take when you don’t feel like you have anything to offer. These photos come from a season of self isolation during the pandemic. Staying home like everyone else gave me the time and space to reflect on how I view myself.
The self portraits show me sitting in front of a simple backdrop with leaves and sticks on the ground which give an illusion that I’m in a forest or a garden. The leaves and branches represent the connection to myself, which comes from going back to my roots and accepting who I am. Accepting my body, from stretch marks to cellulitis, the permanent dark circles and lines under my eyes, and my stubborn hair that has found beauty with cornrow braids.
To me, accepting myself, my body, and my hair, comes when I’ve deeply rooted myself with self-love. Acceptance doesn’t come from comparing myself with others, but comparing myself to my own lineage. It’s understanding where I come from and celebrating myself and my ancestors."