By CARA HUNT
cbrennen@tribunemedia.net
It has been two years since Nicole “Nicc” Burrows documented turning 40 in her short film “Almost 40”.
Now at age 42, the fine arts photographer, writer and former Tribune columnist is continuing to chronicle her fourth decade of life by literally baring it all in her latest project, the Nicc Naked campaign.
The project, which features intimate self-portrait photography, has given her a new purpose, is helping her come to grips with aging and is aimed at empowering other women.
“Starting this project, the Nicc Naked campaign, was necessary for me to look fully at myself, imperfections and vulnerabilities included, mark my place in time, and then begin my considered journey on a new professional path in what I deemed as my purpose: helping people to be bold enough to see themselves,” she told Tribune Woman.
“I needed to do this now, too, because someone needs to talk to women about how to love themselves more, how to see themselves simply, and how to appreciate their bodies and minds wherever they are in life or time. Working in film, especially in the last two years, has emphasised for me how much women are objectified when they meet societal norms and derided when they don’t. And for women over 40 it’s as if suddenly there are no stories to tell in which you exist, beyond the role of somebody’s mother, wife, whore or secretary. Women still have far to go and they need to go together. What I aim to do is unite them in that common journey and document it along the way.”
Nicc explained that the project follows up on her short film, though unintentionally.
“I suppose that’s because the things that interest me or the things I find most important haven’t really changed,” she noted.
Since the release of “Almost 40”, Nicc said she has taken a physical and emotional journey around the globe.
“But I guess it’s good to know that my personal themes have remained consistent, therefore sincere. I learned that I really, really do get bored very easily unless I’m physically and/or intellectually moving around, and I think the film reminded me of my roots in art, how I gravitated to the arts in high school and at COB – my first college degree in Architecture – but a lack of funding diversity and a lack of respect for the arts back then pointed me in the direction of business studies,” she said.
“But I learned that you really can’t run from who you are. Once an artist, always an artist. In retrospect, the film was just a different vehicle for my expression; script writing was a part of that. Now, I’m focused on deeply personal still images that document life in fine art photography.”
Enter Nicc Naked, her foray into abstract documentary photography which will analyse the aging human body in a way that acknowledges and respects imperfection.
“Change is feared, and changing the norms of your existence when you’re older is especially frightening. But I’m fortunate enough to know when it’s time to shift gears. I was in the world of print media and journalism because I wanted, needed and loved to express myself. Along the way of writing stories, I also documented them with the camera, and my favourite images have always been the ones that aren’t posed, the bare, naked soul images. Photography was a natural segue from writer to artist. And although it is a saturated field, what I do is not like what’s done by anyone else. Macro, abstract, and documentary work is my primary focus. Architecture, urban and historic content are secondary. Then I try to mix them all together,” she explained.
In addition to her new project, Nicc is still enjoying her own experiences as a woman over 40.
“In your 20s you feel like you have forever to make decisions and fix them if they’re the wrong ones. You think you know everything, but you don’t have much of a clue if any at all. You idealise life, that it will be neatly packaged and contained in your 20s, enabling you to hit and breeze by every goal post you set for yourself. School, done. Career, done. Partner, done. Children, done. That’s so off the mark. I just met my partner after turning 40. I have to call him ‘partner’ now, because when you’re over 40 you don’t have boyfriends anymore,” she said.
“As for the 30s, I told my ride share driver the other day that I solidified most of my important life lessons between 30 and 34. He was complaining about being 34 and didn’t believe that I was over 40. He couldn’t see the grey hair from the front seat. Seriously, though, 30s were golden. I couldn’t really see or feel any signs of aging until I hit 39 and then bam! 40! And everything happened all at once. I think a part of it is the older you get the more aware you are of time, and you pay more attention as it manifests itself. Now, as a late bloomer, I’m trying to catch up on my own life. I’ve probably aged more in the past two years than I would have if I didn’t decide to tour the earth, thugging it out like a nomad. But nothing beats the life wisdom of a 40-something plus who’s really paid attention to life. Youth really is wasted on the young.”
Nicc admits that there are times when she definitely feels “much older than before”.
“I have a habit of pushing myself to the human limits. If I stare at the grey hairs, wrinkles, age spots, frown lines, thinning hair and skin, cellulite, and varicose veins too long, the feeling of ‘older’ creeps in. And then the ‘wise’ me has to laugh at myself because, really? C’mon girl – 40, not 80,” she said.
“Coming to grips with age as a woman is probably quite a bit different than it is for a man, too. But I think coming to grips with anything requires balancing the reality – the chronology of years with the intangible...the knowledge accumulated over those same years.”
Nicc said that she did not give much thought to what 40 meant until she had the birthday.
“The only 40-plus stereotype I can really recall is that everything is ‘downhill’ after 40. But I can’t say that. Body appearance and some body functions change a bit and that can be a ‘downhill’ experience for some, but other things happen, too. For one, you start to feel like a sage compared to the 20-somethings, even 30-somethings. Younger people ask for advice. That’s meaningful,” she said.
“Also, I met the love of my life at 40. Well, I met him two years prior and I didn’t know he’d be that, but he’s definitely an ‘uphill’ feature of my life…he’s lovely. And life after 40 with him is lovely. In fact, he’s more past 40 than I am, but you wouldn’t know it. And being in the after-40 sage that I now am, I’m even more ready for him.
“As for visions of what life would be like at/after 40, I didn’t think it would take this long for me to come to terms with being a creator of things; a true artist at heart. But, I’ve pulled previous experiences into the equation, so I can’t complain that time was wasted. I have a business degree and education, so I can understand and operate business as a sole proprietor in the art market. I have almost 15 years of what I thought was accidental journalistic experience, from news, to features, social commentary/analysis, to PR, so I know how to analyse and promote myself as my own client. The perception that you can only learn and grow and implement before 40 and then it all falls apart if it’s not all sealed up by then, is so incorrect.”
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