Camila Ibarra

Artist Statement

I was born and raised in West Haven, Connecticut, but I go to school in New Haven. Often my photography addresses concepts of beauty, expectation, and being in the public eye, which stems from my formative experience as a child performer. I’ve been dancing since the age of five and have been left with these lingering issues from being judged by an audience for so long. This upbringing has caused a sense of confusion when it comes to believing what should be considered “beauty.”

Photography has given me the opportunity to connect with the world when I am in doubt about my own vanity. I’m able to capture the essence of dance and what it SHOULD mean or look like, rather than what it translates to in the real world. I am grateful to have an outlet that doesn't expose me to the judgment or disapproval of the dance world.

My camera allows me to notice that there will always be something of deeper meaning to search for in situations and communities that so often feel confined, such as the dance community. Our bodies don’t just enact movements in a multitude of eight-counts; they’re able to tell stories without uttering a single vowel. My photos depict the emotions that are so often secluded and that I tend to observe in objects, lighting, and people. 

— Camila Ibarra, Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School ’25 

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