Deborah Paauwe - Beautiful Games

MAPh COLLECTION ARTIST

An introductory discussion of "female identity" and "burgeoning sexual awareness" paves the way for the lush, colour-saturated photographs that chronicle the sensual journey from girlhood to adulthood. None of the asymmetrically framed prints have been digitally manipulated or cropped, leaving the viewer with an intense sense of the entangled innocence and eroticism of the anonymous subjects.

'I portray, the manner in which young girls interact with each other in the process of establishing an understanding of the private and public realms of intimacy. The gestures of grooming each other and the act of dress-up, play important roles in the experience of young girls coming to terms with the changes taking place in their lives. Intertwined with this is the growing awareness of the power of their sexuality and the way in which these girls/women cope with this new awareness.' - Deborah Paauwe