. . .Restoring Our Legacy Beneath the Surface: Honouring Nina Simone. . .

i do not recall how i first came to find simone’s image, but i knew instantly that it was rare and important. while, anxiously scanning her bare body; i unconsciously began to let go of the shame & reproach attached to the baring of my own soul. my love & respect for nina grew intensely with every second added as my eyes covered her periphery. simply, for her fierceness & audacity to literally, uncover her royalty. my immediate after-thought actually processed as:

“if Nina, can do it– so, can i!”

Model: Nina Simone

in my mind, the act of posing nude in front of a camera being solely about exposing your privities slowly dissolved and the declaration became more about claiming your throne– while in the same breath dauntlessly proclaiming,

“this is me in all my glory as the supreme spirit created me and i lovingly accept me– you will too.”

that affirmation is so alluring–ideas of various bold poses & positions rapidly funded my mental. a feeling of assertion & power over my own portrayal was planted firmly as i continued to study this historical image.

i do not know if it is my own selfishness which leads me to think she was doing thys more for the love our community and less for herself. by selflessly demonstrating how freeing it can be to disrobe all the whyle still in the process of testing the depth of the waters surrounding thys discovery for her own journey. but…

a question lingers:

“why is she not looking directly into the camera?”

as if a part of her is still slightly timorous about being so intimate with the world. i do not want to presumptuously pretend to know how she is feeling but, body language speaks volumes: eyes closed, face turned away and pointed downward. almost, as if she was a little meek behind her daring revelation. i respect it, nonetheless. and more so, appreciate her bravery– yet, another pioneering feat to add to her classiques.

which reminds me of a quote by painter & arts activist, marcia jones:

“…life is not promised…i have to be braver…”

even at your most fearful moments: just DO it. so, i say thank you, Nina Simone for always doing it and in turn, giving us permission to do the same.

this image will always be sacred to me because “… it provides me with a little more of my particular visual history, a base from which i can begin to define my likeness, as well as my sexuality, in the context of my humanity. in this way, i take control of my own representation, and revel in my own skin. ” — Carla Williams (1992) ” The Erotic Image is Naked & Dark ” Picturing Us: African-American identity in Photography ♔

~ by Tracy G. M. James on May 22, 2010.