In Others’ Words invites individuals from all walks of life to unite and confront their perceived differences through a cathartic, interactive experience that is designed to help them overcome the effects of stereotyping in Western society.
Volunteers arrive on the day of the shoot with a pre-written list of words that they’ve been labeled as throughout the course of their lives, are asked to remove their clothes, and encouraged to write the words on each others’ naked bodies from head to toe. After doing so, they’re photographed in a public space with a 4x5” view camera - a symbolic act that honors the wholeness of each individual, as well as the unity of the group after being bonded together by the body writing experience.
The project was in the process of being internationally expanded to include a more diverse participant pool when it was put on pause in 2016.
︎ While it was active, In Others’ Words was described as “powerful,” “compassionate,” and “compelling” by Cosmopolitan, “groundbreaking” by Buzzfeed, “stunning” by the Huffington Post, and was listed as one of Feature Shoot’s “Top 10 Most Popular Photography Posts of 2014.” It was also presented in a talk with TEDxAdventure in Wroclaw, Poland, and expanded into a performance art collaboration with the Marina Abramovic Institute. ︎
