Tahlia Hightower is a photo based artist working to understand the journey of navigating past traumatic experiences.
Their work speaks to the way one is shaped by the trauma they experience, dictating how they exist and move through the world afterwards. Utilizing self portraiture, as well as both digital and physical collage, their focus is not only on initial change that happens due to trauma, but also the transformation one undergoes when they choose to face their traumas in order to heal. As a 2026 graduate of the Photography and Film BFA program at Virginia Commonwealth University, Tahlia is hoping to continue the expansion of their practice – further pushing the boundaries of the form their photographs can take and understanding what it means to use their body in the forefront of their work.