By Rachael Ullinskey

What do you get when you combine a love of photography, an art school background and a general appreciation of meeting strangers?  Answer: The $25 Secret.  Local artist Sarah Bokone began a photography project almost a year ago and it has exploded all over the Northeast Ohio art scene.  The premise of her project is this: after meeting with her subjects and having an in-depth conversation about their life, goals, fears and accomplishments, Bokone comes up with a solitary word to describe her model and paints it on their body.  The end result is a provocative and moving black-and-white portrait featuring the model and their $25 secret word.

This 23 year old Art Institute of Pittsburgh grad first began her photography project after a self-portrait where she painted “Strength” across her body.  Moved by the idea of “labeling” her subjects, Bokone began painting and shooting a couple of her close friends.  Her project has now expanded to over 150 photographs that capture her subjects’ deepest secrets.

For the cost of $25, subjects can spend a few hours with Bokone in her downtown Warren studio; however, this artist is doing much more than painting words and taking pictures.  What begins as a mere survey turns into a mini-counseling session where subjects pour out their life story to Bokone.  She listens attentively as people recall their most tragic moments, biggest accomplishments and even their biggest fears.

Using this emotion as the inspiration for her photograph, Bokone comes up with a single word to describe her subject- whether they agree with t or not.  She’s only had one subject refuse to be “labeled” with Bokone’s word choice because she felt uncomfortable with the idea.  “That’s the only photograph that I’ve ever tossed,” she reflects.  She says that many of her subjects struggle with their word, confronted by the reality of being labeled as something they may not necessarily be comfortable with.

This is the beauty of her project– we struggle in society to avoid being labeled as anything, whether it is a good or bad connotation.  Bokone has taken these stories of love, loss and life and translated this raw emotion into her photographs.

Bokone’s sessions with her clients are extremely private and sensitive; therefore, it was necessary for me to have my own session with her to truly witness the $25 Secret experience.  I was nervous. For days I was contemplating what single word I would choose to describe myself. I thought of countless phrases but could not arrive at a solitary decision.  Bokone’s ability to encompass her subjects into a single descriptive word in one session is a true art in itself.

We begin our conversation as she reads from a list of questions that she normally asks her subjects. Her questions range from “What’s your most prized possession?” and “What’s your biggest fear emotionally?” I find myself pouring out my life story to her- it feels invigorating.  I am brutally honest, recalling past experiences that have shaped me into the person that I am today.  I feel stripped down, vulnerable, completely exposed; however, Bokone’s kind demeanor and willingness to listen is extremely comforting.

As I wait for her to think of the word that would describe me, I realize that this artist isn’t simply taking cool pictures of people; she is emotionally connecting with individuals on a profound level.  “What you experience in the past creates who you are in the present,” she tells me.  I find it amazing how a simple black-and-white photograph can capture so much of the past and present lives of her subjects.

We talk at length about some of her experiences with this project, especially the benefit she has personally received from this creative endeavor.  “People trust me, tell me their stories, their names.  I’ll always carry it with me,” Bokone says.  “People give me advice through their stories without even realizing it.  You get to vent and I get to learn.”

While some heavy emotional stories can feel like a burden to some, Bokone welcomes these personal accounts as both a learning experience and artistic inspiration.  “I’ve always been a pretty deep person,” she tells me as we continue to talk during my session.  She laughs as she tells me that the older women she photographs have the wildest stories.  “If I had your mother in here, I guarantee I would hear stories that you’ve never dreamed of,” she chuckles.

She tells me that I’m her 154th subject.  Much to my surprise, she shares with me that older men, especially fathers, are the most emotional.  “I’m not good with people who cry because I’m pretty emotional myself.  But we talk through it,” she admits.

When Bokone finally arrives at my word, we are both pretty excited.  It’s a word she says she’s wanted to use for a while, but hasn’t found the right subject yet.  She paints on my upper left arm in big black letters: the word “fierce.”  As defined in Webster’s, fierce means “furiously eager or intense; menacingly wild.”  Though I wouldn’t describe myself as menacing or furious, I certainly consider myself a force to be reckoned with and I’m stoked to see that Bokone agrees.  She tells me that her first impression of me was “vibrant,” which is pretty great considering the alternatives.  I’d rather be vibrant than “cantankerous” or “meek”.  Unlike some subjects who struggle with the comfort of their word, I embrace it and am eager to begin taking some photographs.

Bokone tells me to put a fierce look on my face, which is difficult because I’m not really sure what that means. I keep laughing and smiling- it’s just my nature.  I struggle with eliminating my smile to create a fierce facial expression and she snaps away while giving me some direction.

Before I know it, she’s finished with her work and our session is done.  I don’t want to leave- I feel as if I could talk to her forever.  I’m somewhat saddened that our time together is over.  On the other hand, I’m equally psyched because it’s the first time I’ve told a professional my life story without leaving with a prescription for Prozac in my hand.

Bokone can be contacted via her website, www.BokoPhoto.com, or through Facebook, where she receives the majority of her requests from people eager to participate in the $25 Secret.  She is currently working on her biggest endeavor, publishing a $25 Secret coffee table book.  I have no doubt that she will accomplish this because not only is she a talented artist, she’s also a very compassionate and caring human being who truly connects with her subjects on a deep level.  She’s not merely a photographer snapping pictures of random people with miscellaneous words painted on them.

Bokone herself is fierce, a force to be reckoned with.  Her most recent self portrait features the word “Unstoppable” and this truly captures not only her personality, but also her artistic efforts.  The $25 Secret is unstoppable and the momentum it has created will ensure Bokone’s permanent artistic imprint in the world of photography.


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