How would our behavior change if we knew no one was watching? Enjoy a breathtaking beautiful series by Anouk Brouwer starring Kily Shakley.

“To be a human being is to be in a constant state of objectification, expectation and scrutiny. Breathing, moving, speaking and dancing is to be sexually and aesthetically evaluated. I live to explore all the aspects of what it means to be a woman; what it means to be Anouk, continuously seeking, seeing, being seen.

In this series, I collaborated with Kily Shakley, a Japanese showgirl who grew up on the other side of the world, but with whom I connected beyond prediction. We talked about female prejudices in Europe, the USA and Asia, we reflected on our feminine and masculine characteristics and we discussed who it is we exhibit ourselves for, for the world to see.

How would our behavior change if we knew no one was watching? This project replies to that complex question. No matter how much life can feel as a performance, I perform for my eyes alone.”

Photography and creative direction: Anouk Brouwer – @anoukdbrouwer – www.anoukbrouwer.com
Model, styling, hair and make up: Kily Shakley – @kily227