What began as a self-imposed weekly photo assignment -- “Stand on a bench. Make sure it’s Monday. Wear something pretty.” -- transformed into this who-am-I photo-tale exploring the individual in various environments and apparel.

A former fashion editor and reporter on style-related subjects, I abandoned the world of words and appearances and moved to India nine years ago to study yoga and dive into the inner universe. My past and paths now collide in my photos– personal façade vs. private interior.

Wardrobes and surrounding spaces are representations and reflections of who we are or who we purport to be. We explore, experiment and express the different aspects that are the ingredients of our individual, whether we are aware of it or not. Be it wild or controlled, we inevitably illustrate a part of ourselves.

The self-portrait series “Once Upon” whimsically plays upon this illustration. With a platform on which to stand, I investigate the host of personalities within, the layers that make up the self, the characters we hide, show, accept and reject, and the role that fashion and design play in molding those characters. My closet is colorful, a menagerie of clothes and accessories amassed on my journeys; though a collection untouched, unworn. Here, it has place and purpose. Headless self-portraits, piled with textures, lend a sense of objectivity, obscurity and freedom from identification.

Bio
Heidi Lender once reported on the fashion universe for national glossies, styling photo shoots and writing features. Armed with a BA in apparel and textiles from Cornell University, she covered interior design, food, travel and style from New York to LA, London to Paris. Then she took a long break and moved to India where she lived part-time for six years studying yoga. In 2008, she picked up her first digital SLR and retired her pen forever in favor of pictures. She currently splits her time between Northern California and Garzon, Uruguay.

For more information, please contact Heidi Lender at: heidilender@gmail.com or visit www.heidilender.com