Welcome to Simple Belongings

What started off as an assignment in a Lighting class I was taking by the talented and knowledgeable Luca Iannuzzi quickly evolved into a beautiful project of self reflection. At a time when I was dealing with breast cancer reconstruction and struggling with my new body, I found this series helped me come to understand that I am so much more than my physical being. The objects that fill my home and the people that share my life are as much an impression as to who I am and the life that I have created, if not more so the body I was struggling to adapt to. 

The lighting techniques that I applied to capture this series are often referred to as Rembrandt lighting and are typically applied when creating portraitures. Although this is a still life body of work, in many ways, they are me. They reflect my interests, my aesthetic and my home; so I figured, why not implement the same style of lighting I would use if these were self portraits?

When I submitted my images to the Academy of Art University's 2022 Spring Show, of course I thought they were competition worthy, but to be judged and granted Best of Show for a series was only a dream. When it became a reality, I was humbled to my core.

Once competed, it is my intention to offer fine art prints and a table top book. Make sure you subscribe below to be the first to be notified!

-Arika Nicole, with all my love