The many faces of Marie delve into an intimate topic with a sensuality that cannot be fully expressed. The choice of character Marie-Antoinette is reinforced by the fact that her hair turned white overnight due to stress when she was sentenced to death, a condition known as the Marie-Antoinette syndrome.
White and red play important roles in this story. Given the virginal connotation of white, and red of passion, the symbolism of red apples is a reflection of the inner turmoil that the character is experiencing.
Elisa Miller's body of work, "The Other", poses questions of identity and invites us to consider the limited possibilities of expressing one's true self. Limitations that we can feel due to society, our domestic situation, or even us. The modern world is still a difficult place for women, alas.
Taking inspiration from the famous quote of French author Jean-Paul Sartre "Hell is other people", these staged photos explore our self-limiting beliefs and our desire to fit in, and the gap between our true selves and what we are expected to be.
Miller invites us to imagine what it might feel like if we were able to express freely without fear of judgment or condemnation, to look beyond the boundaries we've set for ourselves and have the courage to become who we really are.
What if hell isn't actually other people - but the things we do to ourselves?