A Lesson in Vulnerability speaks to finding empowerment in the act of trusting others. The figure in the foreground gazes fearful and doe-eyed at the viewer. The slight upward direction of her gaze creates a power imbalance between the subject and the viewer, emphasizing the fear and potential danger involved with exposing oneself entirely.
The figure in the back is the subject repeated, but now in the act of slowly, physically exposing herself, a metaphor for emotional vulnerability. The subject is no longer hesitant, finding a newfound comfort and freedom in how being wholly honest to and about herself allows her to also be truly seen. The artist facilitates a reclamation of a sense of power and control over the act of exposing the self by placing the choice back in the hands of the subject. By facing away from the viewer, the subject gets to choose which parts of her the viewer gets to see and what is withheld. The subject maintains autonomy over her body and mind.
