A specific birth date of any person born on a certain day at a certain time seems to be quite individual. However, birthdays are celebrated collectively in modern culture. It's a reminder that we came into being and are here on Earth surrounded by other humans who have been born in the last century. This sense of self is heightened when we invite loved ones to help us mark the occasion.
Ume’s personal passion project is an observation of this phenomenon: sharing your true self with others to celebrate your birthday, theirs and many more who will enter this world.
The human form continues to be a main theme and inspiration. The viewer sees Ume through the perspectives of 29 artists, to celebrate her twenty-ninth year.
The sense of self is blurred with a collective idea of humanness and the physical bodily challenges we face. Three years ago, Ume overcame a medical condition and while a successful surgery saved her life, a scar remains on her abdomen, a daily reminder of a near-death experience. For the artists who draw Ume, the scar contributes to her uniqueness and fragility as a human being.
Written by Tran Pham [@tranish]
All the art works photographed by Caleb Miller [@calebbryantmiller]
A conversation between the artist and model
By Tran Pham (@tranish)
Perfect profile
Sweat glistening like dewdrops
On the collarbone
A soft meditative gaze
Pencil scratching the
Surface of paper gently