Portraits of Houseplants

Houseplant started as a series of self-portraits in a black skirt during COVID. What I thought of as creative portraits in lockdown, tuned into a different set of self-discoveries.

In this time, my partner and I transitioned from a monogamous to a non-monogamous marriage. There were a lot of social norms that I had to face and unlearn.

The self-portraits were my intimate self-exploration between places and relationships. Even though this choice offered me freedom and connection, it also demanded effort and a different family structure. I nurture and love meaningful relationships.

Ultimately, being like a houseplant signifies resilience and adaptability - growing and thriving within fixed boundaries while pushing against them.

Nadia Ettwein is part of »Guest Room: Daniel Boetker-Smith & Tanvi Mishra«.