Bartholdi's Sunbathed Apprentice

Model: Gabriela Fay

MUA: Avgenia Ruban

Location: Toronto, Ontario

Camera: Nikon D750

Lens: 50mm f1.4 & 24-70mm F2.8

The Design

Bartholdi's Sunbathed Apprentice: In 1986, Bartholdi's copper angel was revealed to the world. A symbol of independence, freedom and self-rule. What most don't know, is that she is real and she is alive. A protector of the very things that she symbolizes. Although with all of the sadness and depression in today's society, she needs an escape.

As the sun departs from the city's horizon, she vacates her copper housing and embodies a human form. The sun set acts as an hour glass, allowing her to roam free of not only her motionless shell but also of her responsibilities.

Concept: during the summer of 2017, I found myself in the lively city of New York. One evening, I was standing over the Brooklyn Bridge, admiring the sunset. Here I was starring off into one of the most beautiful sunsets I had ever witnessed, and there, standing alone on the water, was the statue of liberty. In the distance it was small but present. In that moment, everything slowed down. The busy streets, crowded intersections and sirens quickly became nonexistent. The sun created a silhouette for the angelic like structure that had me lost for what seemed like hours. While developing the concept for this character, I had one song on repeat. That song was Asleep by The Smiths. The subtle windy SFX acting like a soft guide bringing me back to that bridge.

With that being said, I wanted this character to mean something to everyone. I wanted to present a struggle that was instantly relatable. I decided to provoke this feeling of being trapped and surrounded by negativity. Whether it is/was school, work or at home, we all feel/have felt this. Feeling helpless to the cards we have been dealt and ultimately finding it hard to see past this dark cloud of negativity. This is why it is so important to have an ‘escape’. A passion that takes us outside of our day-to-day and into an exciting mindset filled with ideas and creativity.