Jenny Calivas had built her own darkroom as a teenager and studied at prestigious institutions yet after Yale, she questioned whether photography was still her calling. Inspired by ecofeminism, she began creating 'Self-Portraits While Buried' – sand-filled selfies with her hand holding the shutter release.

Submerged in Maine's tidal mud, Calivas used her own body to counter traditional representations of women and nature. Her physicality brought a primal element to photography, making exposure dependent on temperature changes rather than just light levels.

In Los Angeles, Calivas continues to push the boundaries of physical photography, drawing from diverse experiences in puppetry, dance, clowning and even punk music. She now explores deeper questions about self and world through touch – a 1-year-old’s messy hands inspire her latest project involving food and mail art.

For Calivas, both as an artist and a mother, the physicality of creation is paramount. The earthy, tactile nature of her work reflects a broader shift towards embodied practice in contemporary art.