ICP Teen Academy

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Frances Price



In my series of portraits, I aim to capture isolated moments of those close to me in states of vulnerability. I use these moments to highlight the realness of human emotions and to show the viewer that it is natural for both men and women to exhibit a range of behaviors. My choice of lighting contributes to the mood of my photos and my subject's body language is intentional to convey the emotional state they're in. In making this work, I asked them to respond physically to prompts such as “fear, anger, loneliness.”

Although some of my photographs do not have distinct expressions or visible moods that the viewer can grasp onto, they are still a crucial part of my project. I want to show that there are moments in people's lives in which they choose to be more sincere and tranquil instead of upbeat and expressive. It is especially important to portray girls in those moments, as there are many stereotypes about the way women/girls are supposed to look and behave in our society. I want to highlight the beauty and reality of human emotions such as anger, sadness, fear, loneliness, thoughtfulness, disappointment, and affection. I want to prove to the viewer that while the presence of these feelings are intense, they are not ones we can refuse to talk about.

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Frances Price is an artist based in New York City whose work explores themes of gender, emotion, mental health, and societal norms. For four years, she’s studied drawing, concentrating on portraiture. She’s inspired by the art works of Robert Mapplethorpe, Brenda Ann Kenneally, and Nan Goldin, admiring the way these artists use color and black-and-white to create different interpretations and abstractions in their photographs. Observing and listening to the behaviors and emotions of the people she grew up with informs her work. Frances has always noticed a difference in society’s reaction to how men and women express emotion, in contrast to the way her family and friends deal with emotion.