For the last 4 years I've been fascinated with henna body designs and incorporating them into my fine art nude photography. Here is a little excerpt about the origins of henna that was written by my friend Lisa Butterworth (who's a professional henna designer and an authority on all things henna):
It was in North Africa that the first henna plant appeared. The use of henna for decoration in Morocco goes back to the time when the Berbers first migrated to the area; they were long settled there when the Phoenicians and the Romans invaded North Africa. No one is certain of the Berber's origins, but it is generally believed that they came from either Yemen or what is now Syria. It wasn't until the 8th century that Arabs, spreading the word of Islam, invaded the Berber regions and added the Berber culture to their already rich mix. James Jereb, in his book The Arts and Crafts of Morocco, describes Berber designs as "a testimony not only to the meditative and aesthetic power that decoration holds for them, but a faith in supernatural power. Many pieces are valued not because of appearance alone--perhaps because of their form or the way in which they are decorated--but because they may contain a power known as baraka, a concept deeply embedded in Moroccan religious beliefs and crucial to the understanding of all artistic traditions in Morocco. Baraka has many meanings in Morocco, but it is principally the positive power of the saints and the Sufi brotherhoods. It is a source of inspiration among most Moroccan artisans...Baraka permeates all things to varying degrees; not only can it exist in jewelry, talismans and other manufactured objects, such as ceramics and textiles, it is also thought to suffuse plants, such as henna and oleander, and incenses, such as sandalwood and myrrh. This power is transferred to objects and textiles by the use of a particular artistic vocabulary of symbols, designs, motifs, colors and techniques that protect the object, creator and consumer." Baraka is sought and used to deal with the darker forces of life, curing illnesses and protecting oneself against the evil jnoun (spirits--the source of the English word "genie") and the evil eye. Berber symbols are included in the design of everyday objects to protect the object as well as the person who uses or wears it. These motifs appear in all aspects of the Berber artisanal tradition, including pottery, leatherwork and textiles, not to mention all types of personal adornment. Berbers found many ways to adorn themselves with jewelry, tattoos and henna. It is mostly Berber women who are tattooed. Because tattoos are forbidden by Islam, many women have found other outlets for placing their protective motifs by including them in textiles they weave and in jewelry and henna. Thus, the designs that are drawn in henna on the hands and feet of a bride on the eve of her marriage are these same protective and nurturing symbols that have evolved throughout centuries of use. -Lisa Butterworth
One of the most monumental trips I ever took in my life was when I visted Morroco during my high school years. The rich culture there fascinated me as well as a lot of visuals. Later, I began to incorporate the dance, costuming, colors and henna into my fine art photography.
Today, Lisa was preparing henna on my next fine art model, Penelope, who is also a middle eastern dancer who I've used before in my fine art photography. What makes the upcoming shoot particularly different with Penelope is that she's 8 months pregnant. It'll take about two days for the henna design to sink in and become dark. This upcoming shoot will be pretty challenging for me because I want to capture the beauty of the pregnancy stage of womanhood and showcase the beautiful henna design while still in the context of of my dance photography. Stay tuned as I will have some images to share with everyone from the upcoming shoot. I won't showcase the best ones on this journal because I'm saving them for my upcoming show but I will showcase some that will give you a taste of what's in store for my upcoming show.
Lisa applying the henna designs.
For more information on the art of henna design as well as some beautiful samples, check out Lisa's website:
www.kenzi.com
