Savannah Spirit

Conditioned to self-censor, edit, alter, blur and scratch out the "naughty" bits on our bodies censorship on social media perpetuates the idea that the human body is something to be ashamed of. Nevertheless, She Persisted, a solo show by Savannah Spirit presents her self-portraits uncensored and out of the confines of social media. Joining the 4th wave feminist movement, Savannah's work applies modern ideas of feminism while exploring it in the context of social media. The photographic series, beginning in early 2014 soon after the dissolution of her 12 year marriage, started as an exploration of self-esteem, body acceptance and the roles society places on women. It quickly changed to address issues of censorship and freedom of speech when the photographs were and still continue to be taken down from social media for being construed as pornographic and deemed "unsafe." For artists nowadays the best way to reach a global audience is through social media outlets yet without any reason these artists, including Savannah, have been left with whole accounts wiped out. With artistic freedom at stake, the only way to fight back is to persist and insist the work should be viewed with a contemporary art lens. Showing black and white graphically textured nude photos and drawings as well as a selection of pin-ups, the heart of Savannah's work is about defining oneself and the importance of freedom of expression.