art | the princess of nubia

the alternate title reads: my mom saw these photos and told me i looked like a nubian princess

shot by khensani, edited by me

in the second part of my day with khensani (of glitterdaiquiri), we decided to have a lot of fun with post-modernistic neogrunge nubianism. its not really a term that exists (but it has a nice ring to it, no? i think i should make it a thing. it can be a new tumblr subgenre, right next to soft grunge, soft ghetto and pale blogs), but essentially, its what two creatives call messing about with make up, forehead jewellery and colour hues.

above is one of my favourite songs (the original version by arcade fire is just as mesmerising). it’s one of those pieces that you really feel like you can resonate with, especially if, like me, you’re from the suburbs but you dream of big things. living in the quiet hum of suburbia where everything you need is within a 2km radius can very easily make the world seem so small, and to paraphrase simon bolivar, you start to wonder how you’ll ever get out of the labyrinth. every little thing that happens feels as if it’s happening in the world at large, and you start to get comfortable. the faces stay the same, the tolerance and peace you have may not extend past your community but at least ignorance is bliss. i guess that, seeing as this is my last year of high school, it’s perfectly natural to think about what’s next and what lies beyond the metaphorical walls keeping me in this community. don’t get me wrong – i can’t wait to explore a new city with new people and have new experiences, but there is comfort in the land of the familiar; a comfort that is sometimes highly underrated. that’s also why i’m a huge advocate of self expression, self exploration and travel. to thine own self be true, and all that, especially when you don’t have the extreme pressures of the world on you just yet and you’re still a bit comfortable. you can recreate yourself any times you wish and i thank God for those small mercies. it’s never too late to start again, even in the midst of suburban normality. be whatever you want.

and i felt like being the princess of nubia.

read more for more and enjoy.