Us and Bond (2014) Photographs, Black and White, Colour, 60 cm x 80 cm

The whole conversation about breastfeeding is entangled in all kinds of social and cultural ideas about human nature, sexuality, and how we think about individual human bodies in relation to the larger social body.

Breasts are often acceptable as items of objectifcation, but somehow become offensive and obscene when used to feed a hungry infant. Why is sexual objectitication acceptable, when nurturing is not?

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With this intimate series of portraits, Alketa challenges the rigid conformity inher- ent in the role women play in male-dominated societies. In Us (2014) Alketa looks defiantly into the camera; while in Bond (2014) she transfers her tender gaze to the most important subject, her daughter.
 

The largeness of each photograph is meant confront this stigmatised issue – as a kind of ‘in your face’ rebellion. She challenges socially and culturally embedded ideas about how we think of women’s bodies in relation to society.

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