'Straight Out the Womb' explores the beautiful process of a woman’s pregnancy, mainly focusing on what happens inside the uterus.
With the story starting the moment an egg is fertilised by one sperm cell, an emphasis is placed on the power of the egg. As the biggest cell in a human’s body, she sits pretty, not worried about a thing while thousands of sperm cells all race against each other just to find her. FERTILISATION is a testimony to the innate power of the female.
FIRST AND SECOND TRIMESTER breeds intimacy and delicacy as this is one of the most crucial stages in pregnancy. Many women can face complications during this stage where, statistically, 1 in 4 women miscarry in the UK. During this period, the embryo develops into a fetus as the baby’s organs and important body parts begin to develop and eventually the bump makes an appearance.
The last three months during pregnancy marks the point where the baby has made most of its major developments and has grown significantly, meaning less space within the womb. THIRD TRIMESTER draws reference from Aerial Fabric Dancing; a form of performative dance which gracefully portrays impeccable strength and growth in movement while being restricted by the external material. This is what the fetus demonstrates in the womb within the last stage of pregnancy.
The arrival of a child into the world is a moment no mother ever forgets. CHILDBIRTH displays the double-edged sword of maternity. The birth of a newborn is a blessing and one of the best gifts life has to offer. However, this moment is preceded by what seems like a lifetime of pain. Labour pain is one of the most intense pains a human being can experience. Period. It is an experience that should never be undermined or belittled. We should all have respect for this pain as without it, none of us would be here. Unfortunately, it is also an experience that some do not see through, for both mother and child. The world has seen a drop in the maternal death rate but there are still 830 women on average who die every day from pregnancy or childbirth-related causes. That’s one woman every two minutes. CHILDBIRTH is a shout out to all the strong women and mothers of the world. We see you. We respect you. We thank you.
Lastly, I would like to acknowledge that even though my project follows the natural course of pregnancy, that does not mean in any way that this is the only way or the ‘right’ way to conceive. Thanks to the advancements in technology, conception has been made more accessible to women who may naturally struggle to conceive. Whether your process included IVF, surrogacy, C-section or any other route, your story to your motherhood is no less significant and don’t ever let anyone tell you different.
‘Straight out the Womb’ Team Credits
Creative Direction/Set Design/Styling by Maureen Kargbo [@missmvureen]
Photographed by Jodian Bruce [@fuckory_]
Edited by Maureen Kargbo [@missmvureen] and Jodian Bruce [@fuckory_]
Photographer’s Assistant: Tineka Ashley-Graham [@tineka_ashley]
Set/Styling Assistant: Nana Minho [_n.minho._] and Monique Munroe [@moniquemaymunroe]
FERTILISATION
Modelled by
Oyin Carew [@oyincarew_]
Josh Akapo [@jalekapo]
Junior Delius [@junior.delius]
Shaun Flores [@theshaunflores]
FIRST AND SECOND TRIMESTER
Modelled by Oyin Carew [@oyincarew_]
THIRD TRIMESTER
Modelled by Oyin Carew [@oyincarew_]
CHILDBIRTH
Modelled by Kiana Ashley Fearon
Pictures used in the background
Picture 1 - Isabell Steinert Photography
Picture 2 - Isabell Steinert Photography
Picture 3 - Meg Brock Photography