When French photographer Alexandra Sophie got pregnant at 19, it changed her perspective of life forever. She became transfixed by the powers of her own body. She described her first pregnancy as “if a seed was planted in my own personal garden.” This heightened awareness quickly spread to include the many other women in her world.
Alexandra Sophie decided to create a beautiful photographic series to celebrate the miracle of womanhood, titled Jardin Fleuri or ‘Blooming Garden’.
Blooming Garden II
It’s a celebration of the vagina – one that aims to change the dialogue around something that society has often marked as taboo.
‘Blooming Garden’ explores puberty, loss of virginity, motherhood, sexuality, menopause, and everything else that womanhood entails.
Virgin Territory – Virginity
Mures – Puberty
Broken Eggs – Loss of Virginity
Pain, vulnerability, resilience, self discovery, joy and creation are represented through blooms, egg shells and fruits placed delicately over different women’s vaginas.
“At first, I simply wanted to depict my personal feelings… so they could understand and see a bit of what I felt” Sophie explains. “Later, when the series took shape, it became [apparent] that it was, simply, an homage to all women and how amazing we are.”
Sprout – Beginning of Pregnancy
Sea/Mother of Milk – Breastfeeding
Orchids – Sexuality
Empty Nest – Infertility/Menopause
Sophie is working to expand the series to include a diverse range of women, always celebrating their natural strengths. She wants to add works that address issues such as miscarriage, illness, transsexuality, abortion, old age, prenatal and postpartum depression.
Follow Alexandra Sophie’s work via her website, or visit her Facebook page.
