Project_ISM is an erotic, web-based, self-portraiture project, where women from around the world submit a series of digital photographs that they have shot of themselves naked. The resulting collection of images is a celebration of the diversity of women – physically, artistically and psychologically. The only rules we have is that the photo MUST be taken by the artist herself, using a body part (either a hand or a foot) on the camera, and they have to be naked. We invite contributions from women of all ages, countries, shapes and sizes.

So it sounds like it could be really interesting, a bit overdone sure, the pictures of women for women by women does kind of feel like haven’t we been here before. But you know, anyone can add a photo and I guess that at least means you might get some diversity. And you do; there are some really good, funny and interesting pictures. However, there is also a lot of gratuitous pussy shots (which I shall refer to as GPS from now on…except these photos will do nothing to help you find yourself down a random street in basildon.) Seriously, there is part of me that feels a bit like aren’t we over this whole super close up image of some girls vag, I mean it feels like for some people, this is all female imagery is, harking back to the era of vagina monologues. I am sorry but has anyone seen porn recently, you are basically recreating it and calling art because you took a picture of it yourself. GPS is not really big or clever, and in terms of art or self expression, what does it tell you? Yes you have one, so does everyone else on the site, I can tell nothing about who you are from this photo, apart from possibly that you define yourself by the fact that you have an orafice…awesome!

But anyway I’ll get off that as I could go on for ages about the pretentious wank that seems to justify why we need a close up of some woman fitting a fist inside herself. Other than that there are also some pictures that appear to be what women think naked pictures of women look like, bizarrely pouting, pushing breasts together, arms above the head, one hand strategically placed, that weird moody knowing look. Again I am not sure what the focus of these women being on the site is. Or maybe it is nothing to do with them, maybe because we are so used to seeing this as the image of women; with clothes or without that we have started to replicate it. And to be honest I am lost as to whether this is a good thing or not, I mean if you are celebrating women, does that mean you want to view women in a way that makes them as aesthetically pleasing as possibly, or are we only going with what we think a male audience would find most pleasing (I hate to flip back to the ‘are we just recreating a male fantasy of women and not creating our own’ theory but I think it has to be said)

Having said this there are also some really interesting things, weird quirky shots that show the female body as it is and are actually interesting, artistic and sexy at the same time. But I think unfortunately these are lost amongst the weird array of GPS and glamour model poses. It’s a nice idea but it just doesn’t quite work, that coupled with the fact that you have to pay a subscription fee, leaves me thinking this is not women naked for arts sake?

You can visit Project_ISM here

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