AOC frequently refers to our muses, the women who inspired its Smart Sensuality creation in 2007. These women include Angelina Jolie, Shakira, Alicia Keys, Beyonce, Donna Karan and Trudi Styler. I realize today that AOC has always had one male muse and that man is Australian photographer Russell James, about whom I’ve written frequently.

James is well known as the key photographer of Victoria’s Secret Angels and for many years. Many fewer people know about Russell’s Nomad Two Worlds project, dedicated to photographing indiginous peoples.

Russell James opens an exciting new project ‘Seminole Spirit’ in New York tonight Feb. 17th featuring VS Angel Behati Prinsloo. Behati is lensed in an exploration of the Seminole Tribe of Florida housed at the Stephan Weiss Studio. The deceased Weiss was the beloved husband and business partner of Donna Karan, a close friend of Russell James.

Describing her experience with the Seminole people, Behati Prinsloo says: “We painted my body gold as we tried to capture an idea we had of what ‘Seminole Spirit’ is . . I felt like a savage swamp mermaid on Seminole land, crazy.”

In describing herself as a mermaid, Behati channels the key theme of female goddess history, establishing herself in the sisterhood of Mami Wati’s born in Africa before travelling the globe — often on the slave ships as a source of comfort and solace in brutal conditions.

Eye 2-2-15 | Mami Wata Resurgence As Global Goddess | 55,000 Years-Old Female Skull Provides Critical Link In Human Evolution & Migration Out of Africa

AOC is dancing as fast as we can on this one, because ‘Seminole Spirit’ goes to the very essence of our identity and purpose. Lots more is coming. ~ Anne