The Goddess Body

With my graduation project, I want to bring the power of natural forms back to contemporary photography. I photograph women in the way Greek goddesses used to be depicted.

With a focus on the forms of the body and a touch of nudity, I look for the details. My goal is to show the female body artistically and purely, instead of sexualizing it.

"Today's beauty ideal is miles away from the natural forms that were previously seen as 'divine'."

Our body is something we deal with every day, but something many of us — including myself — struggle with. For girls of my generation, insecurity about your body has almost become the norm. I think this should change.

The media have been sketching a one-sided picture for years: models must be extremely slim and mannequins only wear size XS. Even the sizes in stores are different everywhere, which makes it almost impossible to feel good about your own size. It is therefore not surprising that we have difficulty with a positive self-image, but I want to break this pattern.

If we look back at classical antiquity, we saw images of Greek goddesses with round shapes. They were depicted as powerful and full: they were the symbol of perfection and the ultimate dream image.

In order to set up a beautiful exhibition, I need financial support. With this amount I can, among other things, professionally print the photos and decorate the room atmospherically.

Would you like to contribute to this project and help me exhibit the power of 'The modern goddess'? Any donation, small or large, is greatly appreciated!

• Exhibition Title The Goddess Body
• Photographer Zoë van Velzen
• Wednesday June 17, 2026 4:00 PM (Opening) to 8:00 PM
• Thursday June 18, 2026 1:00 PM to 8:00 PM
• Location Grafisch Lyceum Rotterdam
  Heer Bokelweg 255
  3032 AD Rotterdam
  Plan your route via Google Maps