Author(s): Marjorie Salvaterra; Roxane Gay (Foreword by)

Mind Body Spirit

HER is a stunning collection of photographs by Los Angeles photographer Marjorie Salvaterra that explores and challenges the depiction of women's experiences as daughters, mothers, partners, and agents of their own destinies. Witty, moving, and thought-provoking, HER evokes the work of ground-breaking female photographers such as Cindy Sherman and Sally Mann, though Salvaterra's unique style is all her own. Inspired in part by her experiences as artist, wife, and mother, and by her travels, Salvaterra has created strikingly beautiful images that make us rethink our expectations of women and our notions of femininity, particularly in light of the drive to achieve "perfection," not just physically but also in all our other spheres, as daughters, mothers, sisters, and partners; and as we seek to express our talents and fulfill our dreams. Playing with the conventions of fashion photography, art cinema, pop culture, and advertising imagery, Salvaterra has created photographs that are provocative (and often humorous) explorations of the female image. They make us look twice and then think again about female identity, women's lives, and how we represent them. With a foreword by preeminent cultural commentator Roxane Gay, HER is a gorgeous and thoughtful collection, exploring the beauty and struggle of being a woman today. By turns, surprising, inspiring, and amusing, HER is a book that women of every age will find resonant.