melancholic facial expressions that intrigue and
cast their psyche into the spotlight. “In this series,
I portray the experiences of being a woman in
modern society and of growing up as a girl, with
all kinds of demands and social standards.”
“For centuries our world has been male centered.
I think in the 20th and the 21st century the
perception of what a woman is, and what role she
plays has undergone unprecedented changes.”
Women and children are a mainstay in her work
and continue to be the central subjects. “However,
there’s still a big presence of male gaze in modern
visual culture, my goal is to offer an alternative
view.” Very little of her work features men, one
titled ‘Boys’ Games’ is a photo series about men
who never grew up.
There’s still a big presence of
male gaze in modern visual
culture, my goal is to offer an
alternative view.
A surreal photograph from the series includes a
man in a yellow slicker and rain boots staring at
a crashed prop plane. According to Varaksina,
“It is about men who keep playing games, some
of which are harmless, while others are quite
dangerous.”
These allegoric photographs come to life with
her meticulous attention to lighting and soft
color palette. “I have a painting background,
so I like carefully controlled color palettes and
soft, painterly transitions from light to shadow.”
Varaksina works out her photos in advanced
through detailed sketching. “I pay a lot of attention
to set design and prop styling, this is where my
interior design degree definitely comes in handy.”
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