It is often the things we don't say that carries the most weight.
The battles that are fought in silence.
The Internal conflicts over identity, intimacy, and resilience.
It is in these quiet moments with ourselves, that we begin to unlock the reasons behind the choices we make, our reactions, and how we carry ourselves.
Set to music from "DAMN." by Kendrick Lamar, "Loud Silence" is a series of moving portraits depicting these struggles and revelations.
This blog will go into detail over each theme shown, and the meanings behind them.
"God made"
The first portrait in the series has the subject, Nia, wearing a crown, making slight movements.
The over arching theme is about divine identity, with the notion of God's imprint.
The crown stands as a symbol of our God-given worth, which stretches far beyond world treasures or validation.
With the song "GOD" by Kendrick Lamar playing alongside the moving portrait, the point gets driven home even more.
To know everything we have or could ever need is already ours through our faith in God,
therein lies the peace of who we are and what we are capable of.
"And I will also give you wealth, possessions and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have."
-2 Chronicles 1:12
"SACRED AGAIN"
In this moving portrait, with Kendrick Lamar's "LOVE" playing throughout, the themes of restoration, mystery, and The Divine Feminine are on display.
The mystery lies in the invitation of closeness, and that what is hidden can be most precious.
The veil represents the right kind of love that can heal and restore what was once mistreated.
It also shows the Divine Feminine being expressed through love, gentleness, and feminine beauty.
“She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.”
– Proverbs 31:25
"sands of time"
The passage of time and it slowly erode someone is depicted in this moving portrait.
A theme that a lot of people can relate to, especially men, is juggling multiple responsibilities as well as you can.
As men get older, the management of work, family, friends, and life overall can prove to be difficult to face.
With Kendrick Lamar's "FEAR" playing, the fear that a man (or anyone, for that matter) carries by not living up to expectations, and allowing his responsibilities to go neglected is a difficult to bear.
The gradual wearing down of dreams, identity, and sense of inner self can get crushed under these expectations.
Despite this, it is the responsibility of the man to constantly show up where he is needed, oftentimes at his own expense.
In essence, who comes to save the hero when its all said and done?
"For every man shall bear his own burden."
-Galatians 6:5
"THE RUSSELL/FUTURE THEORY"
This moving portraits highlights a sentiment some men may share is they may want to be Russell (in reference to Russell Wilson, an NFL Quarterback who has been noted being a faithful, family-first man), but their experiences may "force" them to be Future (in reference to the rapper, most notable for his toxic, emotionally unavailable approach to love and relationships.)
The theory being that when a man leads with the faithful good-man approach, it often gets taken advantage of by the wrong partner.
Through these failed experiences, one may become jaded towards love and relationships, thus causing a shift in their approach to a more self-serving, toxic archetype.
It is often to a man's detriment engaging in this kind of behavior, as they may wish to love openly and freely, but feel as if they have to wear a mask (depicted by ski mask) to protect themselves and their hearts (depicted by roses) to prevent getting hurt again.
The song "LUST" by Kendrick Lamar elevates the moving portrait, as some men, when they make this mindset shift, find themselves confusing love with lust.
"But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh."
-Galatians 5:6
"SOUL TIES"
The last moving portrait in this series depicts something that affects both men and women alike.
In this moving portrait, set to Kendrick Lamar's "PRIDE," you see two people who are physically tied to each other, with some distance between them.
Despite the distance, the threads link them together.
The idea of a soul tie is when there is a link that goes beyond an emotional bond; it is the feeling that your soul is linked to another some way.
Soul ties can occur from anywhere, from emotional connection, intimacy, or shared experiences.
Even after the connection is made, the tie may not automatically break.
One may feel a linger of the other's presence, long after the connection was broken.
Soul ties can be a beautifully woven thread, if the connection is healthy and full of love.
However, if the connection is unhealthy and toxic, the soul tie may end up feeling like a chain, weighing both people down.
Should there be a soul tie that is unhealthy, to break it is to allow both individuals to move on with freedom and wholeness.
“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”
-Proverbs 27:17
IN CONclusion
The moving portraits of "Loud Silence" reveal a powerful truth:
what we carry within us everyday shapes the world around us.
Using raw emotion and introspection set to Kendrick Lamar's "DAMN.," this series celebrates the beauty, strength, and struggle found in our most vulnerable moments. It is a testament to the fact that even in the deepest quiet, a profound and meaningful story is being told.
And every story is worth telling.
cREDITS
Subjects: Nia Dyce & Josh Sanon (@blasion_persuasion & @shooterman.sanon on Instagram)
Written, shot, & directed by Josh Sanon for Supreme Visuals.
