HIDDEN FIGURES WITHIN

JENN KRAUSS

// Jenn Krauss, a Los Angeles-based creator, is passionate about photography and visual storytelling. She finds solace in capturing and conveying complex emotions. Gifted a camera by her USC Film School alum father as a child, Jenn has been drawn to the art of photography from a young age. The 2020 lockdown provided an opportunity for her to rediscover photography as a creative outlet and a tool for healing. Today, she is a visual and literary artist, finding beauty and meaning in both the ordinary and extraordinary aspects of life. Her series “Hidden Figures Within” explores emotions through artistic self-portraiture.

Jenn typically begins with a personal concept, a thought or a feeling she wants to convey or express. However, after creating during a pandemic, she is an avid believer in “using what you’ve got and making the most of it.” So, what she doesn’t achieve through capturing her image, she can accomplish in post-production through techniques such as digital double exposure, mirrored imaging, or dramatic editing. Her final images are often compilations, diptychs, triptychs, or grid edits, using juxtaposition for a complementary, or even dissonant effect (i.e., opposites, paradoxes, dilemmas). Her work is inspired by nature, life’s triumphs and struggles, or often, lyrics or literature that resonate with her moody and beautifully flawed soul.

“I am constantly inspired by other artists, their originality, vision and passion. I truly hope that, by documenting my healing journey through artistic expression and creative process, others will find freedom to express themselves through visual art, especially in seasons when words fall short, and emotions run deep,” Jenn says.

The quote by Thomas Merton that she selected highlights the dual nature of artistic experience: it can be both a deeply personal and a transcendent one. Through art, we can connect with our innermost selves and, simultaneously, lose ourselves in the beauty and mystery of the creative process.

“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.”

Thomas Merton

What draws you to the arts?

As I have aged, I have noticed the magic and wonder we experienced as children becomes harder to recreate in our older selves. Yet, this special sensation has never ceased in my journey with the arts. The arts. A term broad enough to encompass a lifetime supply of means and modes of self-expression. The arts. An open invitation to every human to explore and express their deepest feelings. Too many things divide us in our society. But every day, I witness countless cultures, classes and categories of creators being united by their mutual love for The Arts. Whether it’s a symphony performed live by a passionate orchestra or the deeply emotive movement and meaning of a ballet production, the effect is always potent and powerful, inspiring more and more art, as the glorious cycle continues. Art inspires art. Art inspires life.

What do you like best about this project?

This series, “Hidden Figures Within” is a labor of love, both to the world and to myself. To me, it is a collection of visual poetry that tells a story of life’s highs and lows. Life is not one aesthetic. Our human experience is one of triumph and defeat, of joy and pain. We tend to shy away from unpleasant or uncomfortable emotions, labeling them as negative. But each one serves a purpose and deserves a seat at the table. Hidden Figures Within is about giving a voice to each of those emotions so that our entire selves can be seen, heard and known.

Hidden Figures Within is a self-portrait series using digital double exposure techniques to create captivating images with deeper meanings. “This series has allowed me to freely explore various dimensions of myself, granting my soul permission to speak, feel, express and be heard. Digital double exposure editing merges two images into an entirely new visual representation, often open to the interpretation of the viewer. For me, as the creator, each portrait possesses a particular mood or emotion, while for others, it might evoke something entirely different. I truly believe this applies to all mediums and genres of art. It is one thing we as humanity can collectively embrace and explore together in our own ways. I absolutely love the freedom art provides, if we simply let it.”

Jenn’s work invites us to delve deeper into the realm of self-expression and visual storytelling. As viewers, we are encouraged to engage with her art on a personal level, interpreting its meaning and finding our own connections. By embracing the freedom of artistic expression, we can try to discover our own hidden depths.

Click on the photos to see the original larger version. Images may be cropped for layout.