halo
This project reimagines religious iconography through a feminist lens by challenging traditional power dynamics and symbols rooted in patriarchal structures. In this photo series, Yelena’s elderly male model interacts with round objects—references to halos commonly associated with saints in religious art. By positioning these objects around her subject, Yelena invokes imagery that critiques the Russian Orthodox Church, an institution with which she has personal history, having been baptized within its ranks. Her work deconstructs the image of the “old white man in the sky,” a figure often synonymous with God, thus reworking a symbol of ultimate authority from a feminist perspective. Through her choice of an elderly man as a model, Yelena subverts the traditional gendered power dynamics: instead of occupying the role of an authoritative figure, the elderly man is directed by a young female artist, reversing the usual hierarchy. This shift symbolizes a disruption of historical and cultural narratives that prioritize male authority over female voices. The juxtaposition of the elderly male model, often associated with wisdom and power, in a passive, almost objectified role under Yelena’s control emphasizes her critique of patriarchal norms. Yelena’s use of "bare life" in this project exposes the raw, unadorned humanity of her model, contrasting with the saintly halos and creating a sense of alienation that further amplifies her critique. In doing so, Yelena generates a new iconography—one that speaks to the possibilities of feminist reinterpretations of power, spirituality, and identity.
