fisherman's wife
This project, developed during the Naked State residency in Canada, offers a compelling feminist exploration of the nude human body in relation to nature and cultural constructions of nudity. Immersed in a naturist environment, Yelena’s experience with living and creating in the nude allowed her to question societal taboos and to investigate how nudity, often seen as vulnerable or provocative, can instead become a site of power and transformation. Feminist theory often critiques the historical portrayal of the female body as a passive, sexualized object. Yelena’s work subverts this by presenting her body in symbiosis with nature, challenging the viewer’s gaze and reclaiming agency over her image. In one pivotal moment of experimentation, Yelena squats, creating a shape reminiscent of a birthing goddess, symbolizing a unification of both male and female energies. This figure embodies an archetypal power, reflecting feminist theories that honor female generative forces while also integrating masculine and feminine dualities. The progressive integration of indoor plants in her images deepens this interplay between human and nature, suggesting an organic takeover where Yelena’s form is both subsumed and empowered by the plant kingdom. This blend of eroticism and empowerment echoes Hokusai's "The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife," yet Yelena’s depiction diverges by reframing the erotic through her own terms. By positioning herself as the conscious creator and subject of these images, she resists the traditional objectification often found in erotic art. In doing so, Yelena’s project challenges and redefines notions of femininity, agency, and the relationship between humanity and the natural world.
