ARTISTS & ARTISANS AC: We love your power stance. We feel the pride that comes through in the image itself. Like with all your imagery, [we] love the connection to nature that is there, putting the person back in touch with nature. It’s really cool to see that shine through as well. Talk to us about Dancing In The Clouds. FM: Dancing In The Clouds was the first one that I did when I arrived in Korea, actually the day [after] I arrived. I arrived in spring and wanted to catch those flowers because they were in a palace and I know that people go and they touch them and they may fall off. So I ran there to make it. When I see flowers and plants, I get a feeling. Even now even when I go to shoot and see plants I want to stop and do something with them. So when I saw that [tree] I was like, you know, when you feel light, like you can fly? That's how the blue color came in. The flowers are white but a little bit yellowish and I wanted to make it like you're in a fluffy cloud. That you are inside it and you can dream and you can be whoever you want to be. My face doesn't show, but I'm actually laughing and I'm very happy, I'm in the clouds, I'm over the moon I'm so happy. Like you are dancing, and they just catch you there in the middle of your dance just for yourself, without thinking about anybody else. That's what I want people to feel — like they want to dance all the time [when] they come home and see that picture on the wall. AC: We love the expression of freedom that's there in your work. Like you said - just dancing and being who you are. I think that was one of the things that we were drawn to in your work. The last piece in the collection is Divine Femininity. What was the inspiration behind that piece? FM: I wanted it to be an image that exudes feminine power. I think as women, we have some kind of sixth sense, we have this kind of mysterious power inside us and I wanted to convey that in one image. I wanted to be very feminine, powerful and empowered. I really like my images to be feminine. I knew that I wanted it to be in blue. I wanted to [show] a subtle power, elegant and intoxicating. And I really liked the moon. I think the moon is very mysterious. I always think about the moon like a feminine star, changing the water and controlling the sea. AC: One last question. Of the four pieces that you've created for the <strong>AphroChic</strong> Art Shop, is there a favorite? FM: I think all of them. I love to play among the stars, I dance among the clouds, I wear my crown with pride, I enjoy my divine femininity. All of them are part of me. I put a piece of me in each. And I want to invite people, if they are not playing among the stars, or they are not dancing in the clouds, to start doing it now. And if they don't feel proud of who they are, to be proud. And if you are a woman and you don't feel powerful enough, know you are divine, and connect with that part of your femininity in order to be able to use it. I invite [people] to explore those parts of themselves. See Fares Micue’s exclusive collection for the <strong>AphroChic</strong> Art Shop at aphrochic. com. And listen to the full interview on The <strong>AphroChic</strong> Podcast. 1<strong>12</strong> aphrochic
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