Eve, a photography art project by Olamide Bakare, recognizes the elegance that resides within women and the immense power that lies in the essence of femininity. In the Eve collection, Bakare celebrates the strength of women but brings into view their gentleness.
Olamide Bakare’s daring approach to the art of photography comes out through this particular project with Eve featuring nude females posing against nature. In each photo in this collection, the model is depicted surrounded by vegetation such as leaves, roots, and even streams. In the two photos, the model backs away from the viewers while the last photograph depicts the model’s face from behind some foliage. It is easy to associate these pieces of art with the Biblical narrative of the creation of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. God created the first man and woman naked with no consciousness until they consumed the forbidden fruit.
In the first photograph, the model poses hiding behind leaves, looking intense at whoever or whatever is in front of her. As she is lurking behind the leaves, there seems to be an emergence of the model out of the leaves. Her dark lipstick and facial expression go hand in hand with the background giving a sense of power and dominance.
The second piece of art in the collection features the model asleep on a concrete slab over a river with her body in harmony with nature. This piece is gentle and seems to communicate relaxation and tranquility.
In the third photo, which is from behind the model, the model is depicted standing straight with her arms raised high as she stands. In the background are roots and other vegetation which seems to blend in well with the model’s braids. The model’s posture conveys a message of femininity and dominance.
It is through the model’s pose that her femininity can be seen since she looks gentle and loving, as well as alluring, just like in the biblical story that gives the name for this piece of art, Eve. According to the artist, Eve had quiet yet immense power rooted in her femininity. Despite not making the biblical connection explicit in this collection, one can see it as a recreation of Eve eating the forbidden fruit.
Olamide Bakare’s Eve art collection is an outstanding depiction of feminine dominance and strength, and power through femininity as well as the power of breaking or creating something new. Every picture in this collection is brilliantly taken to celebrate the body of a woman as a life creator and as well as that of mother earth.
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