Thursday, September 05th marked the first ever MDWMN community event, at Mogo Lounge, downtown Toronto showcasing fine art prints from The Female Body editorial.
The event welcomed the community to connect through art, while also creating a safe space for open dialogue around personal experiences of hardship and perseverance in finding self-love and the inner meaning of body positivity.
Produced by: Chantelle Blagrove Curated by: Gabby Bevilacqua & Nikki Dicunto Panelist: Priya Chahal, Gabby Bevilacque, Chantelle Blagrove (host) & Nikki Dicunto (host)
The Female Body is the first curated MDWMN editorial that celebrates the strength, beauty, and resiliency of the female body; inspired by every curve, dimple, and scar that women call home.
The photoshoot took place on a hot summer day in July along the shore of Lake Ontario in Toronto, Canada. The day started with five strangers who all identified with enduring adversity related to the self and ended with a group of empowered women around a harvest table, with good food and cheap wine, inspired to share their stories.
Together we believed it was important to not only share our experience that day through the art we had created, but by also evoking honest conversation by giving insight to our own personal battles as well as some of the quarks from that day. The hope was to create a safe space that inspired others to share their stories as well as continue the conversation into the evening in an intimate, dim lit, out door space that was candidly caught on video by the man that raised me, loves me unconditionally, and has supported me to become the womxn I am today - my dad.
Also that night, those who attended the event had the opportunity to share their stories with us personally and anonymously. I want to express my gratitude to each and every individual that had the strength to share their story and to know that no matter where you are in your journey that you are not alone & we are all proud of you.
Personal & Anonymous Stories:
"When I was 14 I developed a rate skin disorder, which left scars on the entire upper left side of my body. This brought extreme insecurity and mental health struggles. The journey of loving myself and being confident has been long, but definitely worth it. I appreciate MDWMN for sharing different stories and promoting body positivity. My younger self would have loved to see the images you are creating. Thank you. You're beautiful."
"I'm in love with my best friend, but I'm also happily married <3"
"Struggled with an eating disorder and anxiety 3 years ago. Still struggling, but now able to get through the day and love the body and mind I was given. Raped 3 years ago...still struggling to trust, but now have accepted I am worth being loved and am now in a strong and loving longterm relationship"
"I just want people to be happy being THEMSELVES because I want to be happy being MYSELF"
"As soon as I saw the MDWMN photos, I instantly felt an intimate connection, and pull toward the women in the photos and the story being told. Over the years I've struggles with my insecurities as so many girls have, but seeing such natural images of women being themselves, helps assure and empower me to love myself and accept myself. DIversity and openness to one another my takeaways and I thank you so much for sharing these inspiring images <3 <3 xxx"
"Nikki, you know my story, my hardship and my struggles. Thanks to you many people know and relate to it now. I am so overwhelmingly proud of you and everything you have accomplished since you began this journey. This event was amazing and insanely inspiring. LOOK WHAT YOU DID! YOU FUCKING DID IT. I love you and miss you all the time
A big thank you to everyone that came out to share this very special evening with us & to all of our sponsors that made the event possible by bringing MDWMN offline and into the community with their support and generosity:
Much Love, MDWMN