Today I share with you a series of photos that reflect my ongoing process of self-discovery as an artist. Titled “Beauty in Decadence”, this work explores themes that have always touched me deeply — transformation, vulnerability, and the contrast between light and shadow.
These images are strongly inspired by the technique of chiaroscuro, a play of light and shadow that reveals both beauty and melancholy in the simple act of existing. The withered sunflowers, with their faded colors, contrast with the dark background and soft lighting, creating an introspective mood. These flowers, which normally symbolize life and energy, now find themselves in another stage — a natural cycle of change, yet still full of meaning. Each one tells a story about the acceptance of impermanence and fragility, both in nature and in our own essence. Like life, beauty is always in motion.
As I held these sunflowers, enveloped in a light mist, I couldn’t help but feel connected to what they represent: the fleetingness of existence and feminine beauty. Instead of seeing wear, I saw strength in the textures, in the faded colors, and in the dense atmosphere that filled the space. The smoke, the soft light, and the shadows around created a setting where past and present seemed to merge, where fragility and strength coexist and complement each other.
This series is also, in a way, a tribute to my own story. It reflects the dualities I have explored throughout life and art — between strength and vulnerability, the ephemeral and the eternal, the masculine and the feminine, the intimate and the public. Like the sunflowers, our beauty and strength transform over time, but always carry a story, a depth that transcends appearance. This work is a visual expression of my own process of renewal, both as an artist and as a woman.
I believe there is beauty in everything, even in what is withering or transforming. Decay is not the end, but a transition — a pause in fullness that reveals another kind of beauty, perhaps deeper, more complex. This series reflects that belief.
I hope these images touch you in some way. That you find, as I have, the poetry that exists in imperfections, in changes, and in moments of pause. Sometimes, it’s in those intervals that we discover our greatest strength and beauty.
I invite you to look beyond what the eyes capture. Just like in art, in life, there are always more layers than we perceive at first glance.
Marcia Do Vales
