Duality - 7

Name: Susanna
Age: 28
Fact: Picky


The working title for this series, The Madonna and the Whore, came from the widely used definition of the Madonna-Whore Complex, which is used when referring to men who view women as two distinct and separate personas, that of saint and sinner, or of mother and whore. The myth is that these men want Traci Lords in the bedroom and Delia Smith in the kitchen. Western psychology talks of how when men (who cheat) cannot combine sex and love in one relationship, they may split their love according to the Madonna-Whore Complex. As Freud wrote, 'Where they love they cannot desire; where they desire they cannot love.'

However, this series doesn't concentrate on men and their complexes, hence I have now settled on a new name. I wanted to show that these roles are not something imposed on us but something within us. Hence if you smile while doing the washing it might mean you're thinking of something that makes you happy - are happy. Not conforming to some role given to you nor trying to fight against it. You're just being you. Every woman has these roles (and many more) within themselves and there's nothing wrong in exploring them. I also wanted the pictures to look staged, so it detaches you from the woman in question and makes you think it could be anyone.

Duality - 1 - Mirka
Duality - 2 - Jenni
Duality - 3 - Päivi
Duality - 4 - Eveliina
Duality - 5 - Riina
Duality - 6 - Miriam