Marks and Scratches of Mud & Blood

Photographs by Forrest Leo (forrestleophotos.com)

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"Ah, how beautiful! Are you ready to destroy them?"

After posting the original images of these artworks on my Instagram feed, I found that a great deal of its recognition and appreciation came from the mere inclusion of nude female bodies, rather than the artistry and heart that imbeds itself within. These works embody the vulnerability and pure energetic connections between earth and flesh. To be human; a natural body of this Earth, in tune with all other divine life that surrounds us. It takes courage to love your own body and the body of Earth that holds and cares for you; to be comfortable in sharing that body with the Earth and the people around you when modern day culture has nailed into us the idea of our bodies being taboo, only to be appreciated for sex and labor.

I was told by a close friend that when showing these works to others, it was deemed nothing more than "soft porn". A vital reminder for an artist that the intentions behind a piece do not always reach the viewer. So, I took all my feelings of being defiled by the hidden eyes of creepy men on the internet and elsewhere, and carved it into our metaphoric skin, revealing what lay beneath.

Underneath all the layers, we are the same. We are all connected to the same elements, and sometimes it takes ripping apart everything you knew and building back up again to know what is true deep within. We are souls, held in bodies that will only hold us in these present fleeting moments. To hold self love and be fully empowered from within is what radiates beauty into the world. If that is what's deemed "soft porn", then fuck it. I'm here to make some art that matters.