I’ve been photographing my daughter and nieces for over a decade. There’s something sacred about the lives of girls, and their innocent, confident relationships to themselves, their world and one another is gravitational. Between them is an intimate and spiritual knowledge, both ordinary and extraordinary, and I aim to capture the brilliance of their communion. I hope when they look back on this work, they’ll see their beauty, and their devotion to each other, and find themselves here, in this work we made together, reflected with love.

The girls have grown up within the frame. Over time their relationship to being photographed has shifted. They became collaborators and have helped with editing, location

choice, and offer feedback about where the work should travel. As they matured, and became more confident talking about race, we've been able to discuss the impact of contributing images to the photo world that bear witness to humanity and illuminates the need for representation that is neither stereotypical or trendy.

There are notable bodies of work about girlhood, but Cousins is unique. It chronicles the lives of girls of color, which is a perspective that still remains under-embraced. Additionally, each frame is wholly female. Angst, distraction or dating does not enter the frame. Instead it’s their connection that stays in focus, their adolescent changes are organic, subtle and unprovocative. Lastly, the girls are invested. They all agree that they want the project to continue – they want to have a visual presence.

C O U S I N S

Kristen Joy Emack2022 Guggenheim Fellow

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Kristen Joy Emack
2022 Guggenheim Fellow