“I Believe in Ghosts” by Artist Jamie L. Luoto
San Francisco-based artist Jamie L. Luoto presents a poignant series of self-portraits titled "I Believe in Ghosts." This collection delves into the personal journey of healing and the lasting scars left by sexual assault and ongoing sexual trauma. Luoto's art seeks to convey the profound and lasting effects of such violence, including the often accompanying disbelief, dismissal, and shaming that survivors face. By adopting and transforming a classical European art style, Luoto's work captures and engages the viewer, reflecting the unshakable reality of living in a body marked by past abuses:
"The presence of ghosts is something I hold to be true. I stand with those whose truths were dismissed. The spectres that follow us are not unseen by me... In this series, I navigate through my psyche and the complexities of post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD) as a consequence of sexual trauma. I blur the boundaries between how we present ourselves to the world and the ensuing internal turmoil, shedding light on the invisible wounds that persist in the mind and body. Elements like mirrors, nested portraits, and symbolic representations such as condoms and shapes resembling erections manifest as ghosts within my pieces, hinting at flashbacks, nightmares, dissociation, and the invasive thoughts and images that haunt survivors. Occasionally, these apparitions swarm, creating an overwhelming sense of threat. Cats serve as spiritual guides within the work, observing and mirroring the emotional landscape of the subject."
Jamie Luoto is among 60 talented artists and photographers in our most recent publication, Care. Furthermore, Luoto is set to showcase her work at the Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery this year, including two pieces from our collection. Explore more from "I Believe in Ghosts" below.
