Artist Statement

Lauren Latouf is a Michigan-based artist with a BFA with emphasis in photography from Western Michigan University. Her photography is, at its core, a reflection of her identity, consistently touching on themes of religion, gender and mental health.

Rochester Hills, Michigan is a breeding ground for good, sheltered Christian girls with a sometimes unprovoked curiosity. This is who I was, despite being plagued by depression and anxiety before I knew the technical terms for them. The only way I knew to purge myself of the constant wars occurring in my head was to pour it into my art. I dabbled in all mediums, but photography eventually became the best way for me to speak my mind. As I grew, leaving the suburbs and meeting people I would have never otherwise been exposed to, I began to question the way my gender affected my life, how religion was often simply used as a tool for control, and how the flat lens of depression appeared to skew my experiences. My photographs explore what each piece of my identity means, how it changes me and how it changes other people. Imagery of difficult emotions, hindered or unabashed womanhood and the objective grip of organized religion are consistent throughout my work. The more I create, the more I peel back the layers of myself, my mind and the complexities of human conditioning.