These photos signify the Hindu widow – wearing a white sari – with a bare back. The inspiration was taken from the film Water by Deepa Mehta. The long hair is in defiance to the norm where a Hindu widow’s hair is shorn back.
The photos are taken in a cold, grey tint to show the starkness of the story.
These photos are a take on the old Indian photos – with a vintage look. Again there is the white sari and bare back often seen in photos of Hindu widows. The hair and the nose piercing are in defiance to the norm of the stripping of all things that make a Hindu widow beautiful – her jewellery, make-up and her long hair. The necklace signifies the contrast between the starkness of the widow’s white sari – and the beautiful necklace that she will no longer be allowed to wear – hence it being on her back rather than her front.
Read about the motivation behind these photos HERE!
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Photographs: © 2019, Sian Tyrrell @siantphoto for The Powdered Lens @thepowderedlens
Make-up: Declan Scammell @declanscammell for The Powdered Lens
Hair: Charlotte Silvester @charlie.silvester.hair for The Powdered Lens
Photograph Model: Shalini Bhalla-Lucas