an Art installation, by thursday. “Come As You Are”

In an era where self-presentation is often curated to fit social expectations, Come As You Are is an intimate portrait series that celebrates individuality in its truest form. Created as an extension of thursday’s Girls, Girls, and other Girls exhibition, this series was shot over three days with a single directive given to its subjects: “come as you are.” Each portrait offers a raw, unfiltered glimpse into the identity of the women photographed, captured in ten-minute sessions that balance immediacy with depth.

What sets this project apart is its innovative release as an online installation, transcending traditional gallery spaces. Leading up to the exhibition, each subject shared an outtake from the series on their own Instagram profiles, accompanied by the caption:

an Art installation, by thursday.

#GirlsGirlsandotherGirls. ‘Come As You Are’

This collaborative strategy blurred the lines between artist, subject, and audience, transforming social media into a participatory gallery space. The project serves as both a critique and a celebration of social media’s role in the art world, challenging the norms of artistic engagement while crafting a new, dynamic space for creativity and connection. When the installation went live on Instagram [November 21st, Thursday], it invited viewers to experience art in the same digital environment they use daily—turning casual scrolling into an exploration of identity, connection, and self-reflection; redefining the relationship between art and accessibility.

By resisting the urge to spotlight one subject over another, the series celebrates diversity as a collective strength. Come As You Are challenges audiences to reconsider their own perceptions while embracing the power of individuality and the unity found within it. With its full release slated for 2025, this innovative project is already reshaping how we engage with art and storytelling in the digital age.

Art can thrive in the palms of our hands as much as on the walls of a gallery.

Girls, Girls, and other Girls. Exhibition.

Girls, Girls, and other Girls. Introduction Panel.

“Girls, Girls, and other Girls.” in its simplest explanation highlights women as women and explores the intimate bond between photographer and subject. Capturing moments predominately between 2017 and 2019, this body of work unfolds as a visual diary for the artist, tracing the initial evolution of thursday’s vision and perspective. Through these images, thursday invites us to witness the raw, unfiltered emotions of women as they present themselves — without the guise of expectation.

This collection is not just a set of photographs; it is a reflection of personal trial and error, and the lessons along the way that shaped the artists eye. While each image carries its own meaning for the artist, the work is meant to resonate differently with each viewer, encouraging a personal connection to the stories and emotions embedded in the frame. Conversations with the women before the shoot were intentional, designed to create a sense of comfort that allowed for vulnerability to surface naturally, and it is this authentic emotion that pulses at the heart of the project.

What you see here today is described by the photographer as ‘what was but now isn’t. — all moments captured are memories. A point in time that once uniquely existed.’

These images fill the gallery space, yet they are absent from the book—existing only here, in this fleeting moment.

“Girls, Girls, and other Girls.” offers more than a snapshot of life; it is an invitation to pause, reflect, and feel. Through these images, the photographer asks us to see, not just with our eyes, but with emotion at the forefront.

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A0 imagery displayed in the exhibition space. 

“I want emotion to be the driving factor of these photos, embodying women as women; how they intended to be seen.”

— THURSDAY, 2019

COME AS YOU ARE Introduction Panel.

“Come As You Are” is a portrait series that celebrates individuality, and serves as an extension of “Girls, Girls, and other Girls.” Shot over three shoot days, the project offers an intimate glimpse of its subjects, with the only directive given to “come as you are.” This simple invitation allowed each woman to present herself on her own terms—unshaped by expectation, or external influence.

The concept of this series is rooted in both the personal and the universal: the portraits are as much about the subject’s identity as they are about the viewer’s ability to connect with and understand said identity. With only ten minutes allotted per subject, the photographer’s challenge was to balance the immediacy of the moment with the complexity of each individual’s presence.

In this limited time frame, thursday worked to reveal the individuality of each subject while also creating a sense of unity. Every portrait is a reflection of the subject’s truth—an authentic representation of who they are, how they choose to identify, and how they wish to be seen in this particular moment. Through these portraits, the viewer is encouraged to confront their own assumptions and connect more deeply with the women before them.

The series intentionally resists the urge to make one subject stand out more than another. Rather, it invites viewers to consider the beauty in diversity, the strength in uniqueness, and to appreciate the fleeting, often overlooked moments that define us. In this way, “Come As You Are” challenges us not only to reflect on how we see others, but also to ask ourselves how we present ourselves to the world and how we, too, wish to be seen.

What you see here is an excerpt, Come As You Are will be released in 2025.