In the work of artist Lara Verheijden is common to find nudity, but to think that is what the work is about would be to fall in the easy ideas around an artist’s practice. The way that Verheijden uses nudity is not to gain extra attention or to shock the audience, but on many occasions is a stage that the model and the photographer arrive together, comfortable, and part of a larger conversation, almost a performance that is how the shootings are.
If we look at the images we see close friends and fans of Lara whom through social media have been following her for years and on many occasions approach her to be portraited in her terms, but always in a conversation. If there is something we can see in these portraits of Lara is how the photographer is not anymore one step above the model, but the model is also in control of how their image is being represented and shown afterward.
This new selection of works of Lara Verheijden for Unseen shows some of her recurrent subjects such as the Schwab Sisters but also includes new people that she met on her trip to Berlin to shot her Berlin Naked Calendar. This display at Unseen shows how Lara’s family is growing and how we hope you can also grow with it!