LAS SIRENAS | the twister

LAS SIRENAS is a series of photographs focused on the surface of the water or just below the waterline. The women depicted in these photographs are hybrids of strength and sensitivity. These SIRENS are not models, they are friends of the artist and together they have committed to swim in the cold ocean water year round. 

LAS SIRENAS explores beauty in strength and aims to give access to the underwater vision of icy water bathing and the intrigue of female figures frozen in motion. The tranquility of the underwater images often contrasts with the swell and constant movement on the surface, the crashing waves and swirling currents. 

In his research on the positive effects water has on the human brain and performance, Dr. Wallace Nichols, author of Blue Mind, writes, "As bodies of water simultaneously change and remain the same, we experience both calming familiarity and exhilarating novelty." This calming yet exhilarating feeling is what Larae hopes to convey by contrasting the familiarity of the female figure with the ever-changing conditions of the sea.