It’s a different kind of bravery. The kind you need to be able to ask people if they want to get naked so documentary photographs can be taken of them that people from all over will eventually see. Photographs of naked people is what you would stumble upon if you searched for the works of Jesse Vasquez, a Sacramento based artist and photographer. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Jesse and picked his artistic brain to discover how his work with the camera came to be and through engaging in deeper conversation I surprisingly felt a sense of healing. Listen to more of Episode 4 with Jesse Vasquez as we dive into conversation about image making, the risks of photographing the human body, and how he was able to use the art of photography to heal and liberate.
My friend, respected Sacramento-based artist and lead singer of Rituals of Mine Terra Lopez released her project, “This is What It Feels Like,” on February 3. It’s an audio art exhibit in which participants walk through a dimmed hallway to the sound of men catcalling them, with varying levels of harassment and objectification. The hope was to bring awareness and provide men the opportunity to experience what it feels like to be a woman walking down the street. The process and outcome has moved hearts and shifted mindsets for thousands of attendees over the course of the three week installation. We got to sit down with Terra and sister artist, Sarah Marie Hawkins for a genuine talk story on how this project came about and what it’s meant to her.