As part of our Women of Influence issue in September, Lifestyle collaborated with ArtServe—the award-winning arts incubator based in Fort Lauderdale—on a pictorial feature inspired by the creative laboratory’s recent photography exhibition, “Superficial Impressions.” The images chosen by Lifestyle, taken by female photographers/artists spotlighted in the exhibit, speak to the web of feelings, fears, joys, and challenges experienced by women of all ages and backgrounds. In the online version of the story, Lifestyle presents additional images (connected to the exhibition series) by the featured photographers.

Bridgett Ezzard

“These images portray the lack of freedom women have at night. We don’t experience the same sense of security men feel at night. We are conditioned as young girls to not go out alone in the dark or we risk becoming victims of violence. An act of violence stays with us our entire lives. … I photographed a mannequin that portrays the vulnerable female. My imperfect mannequin was rescued from a dumpster in an alley. She was damaged, glued back together, and has no arms. I shopped for her clothes in thrift shops and studied areas that felt unsafe for me to be alone.”