Looking at obsessive collecting in the light of Jean Baudrillards theory
‘The Wig Lady’
Tamis Baron’s obsession with collecting wigs started when she was just 8 years old. It is an obsession that now rules her life as she devotes all her time to collecting wigs, even having a special room in her house for them.
On the surface her obsession seems to have begun innocently as she was always interested in hair and even became a hairdresser. The balance seems to have tipped however as when she styled other peoples hair she decided that she wanted to look like them and started buying wigs as a quick way of changing her look. Tamis now has 2000 wigs at the last count and is still collecting. Whilst many people may buy an occasional wig to change or improve themselves for an occasion she takes this to extremes by changing her appearance many times a day; even taking wigs out with her in case she feels the need to change to match her mood. So the wigs are used for the purpose they were made but also help her fuel her fantasy life “I just decided that I would never want to grow up. I would sit on the window sill waiting for Peter Pan to come and get me”. This proves the theory of Jean Baudrillard that “any given object can have two functions: it can be utilized, or it can be possessed ”
It is not a solitary pursuit as she involves her friends and even her boyfriend in her obsession. However this does seem to be her primary way of interacting with other people as she has parties for her friends trying on wigs and even changed her boyfriend’s gender and appearance to fulfil her own fantasy of getting married. Her wigs also act as her ‘friends’ even naming them.
It is now obvious that the obsession has completely taken over her life: “I would say I think about wigs a lot, probably most of the time” says Tamis. Her collection is and never will be complete as she is always changing them and adding to her collection at least once a week. She wants one in every colour and style. She uses them to make her feel better: “what we are born with not necessarily matches what we are on the inside”. This seems to be the way she can control her life and the way she is feeling “indeed, this everyday passion often outstrips all the others, and sometimes reigns supreme in the absence of any rival”
Jean Baudrillard
Bythe house:
I visited Bythe house were I was lucky enough to route
through fabric books dating back to the 19th century. It was
interesting to see what came and went when looking at the record books that
informed people of what had been bought that year or was not selling.
large books full of 19th century lace trimmings
My favourite was the Luicenne day folder filled with her
early work. Beautiful rough original sketches and colour palletts even some of
her own swatches she had cut out and kept.
A Glamorous War?
2013
marks the US withdrawal of the last of its troops from Iraq. This is the final
phase in an eight-year operation that has cost billions of dollars and many
thousands of lives.
In the light of so much tragic loss we
feel it appropriate to look western society’s attitude to war today and to ask
the questions: as we are fed a daily diet of news about destructive wars in various
parts of the world, have we become too accepting? Are we desensitised to the
very idea of war? Are we becoming too disconnected from the realities of war?
Should we ask more about the very reasons we enter into conflicts?
Fashion reflects our society. Since World War I military uniforms have
influenced fashion and in every subsequent period of war fashion styles
reappeared in similar forms and silhouettes. In the past people have worn
military wear to protest against and also to promote nationalism. The main
purpose of a soldier’s uniform is to unite the men against a common enemy and
to give the men a sense of pride and discipline.
This exhibition focuses on the aspect of
glamorisation of war. Military wear is often treated in a romantic manner. In
this way military uniform is made attractive and glorified.
However by being exposed to a fashion
culture that uses military wear as a constant source of inspiration are we
being disrespectful to the soldiers who have lost their lives wearing these
uniforms? You will learn of real life stories of artefacts taken from the real battlefields
of past wars. We are delighted to have obtained from the National Army Museum Charles
Edwin Fripp’s most popular oil on canvas “The Battle of
Isandlwan”. In
contrast you can see fashion’s take on war with images by Mario Testino photographer
and a display of leading fashion magazine campaigns.
Exhibit
1:
Film
showing Burberry Autumn/Winter military inspired collection.
Autumn/Winter 2010 Ad Campaign
Photographer: Mario Testino
Cast included models, actors and musicians
all role models for the young of today. By using beautiful models and expensive
fabrics military/aviator wear is elevated to fashion status a world far removed
from original garments worn in the field of war.
Exhibit 2:
Cover for Harpers Bazaar September 2011 Advertisement
promoting military inspired jewellery.
“Military uniforms get a glamorous update in this Marcelina
Sowa Harper’s Bazaar UK September 2011 shoot. Lensed by Aitken Jolly, the
Bazaar Jewellery ‘Tough Luxe’ spread features the stunning model all decked out
in military garb, ready to wage war on dull fashion. From the elaborate jackets
adorned in gold to the belt of bullets, every one of these looks could kill.
It doesn’t take a fashion expert to see that these seductive
soldier looks are absolutely phenomenal. Sowa is both ready for the fashion and
plane takeover runway, with thigh-highs and bold accessories that would make
even Lady Gaga jealous.
The
Marcelina Sowa Harper’s Bazaar editorial is full of looks that would blow up
any fashion week runway.” Harpers Bazaar
The
editorial accompanying this fashion campaign reinforces the war connection by
using military jargon referring to looks that ‘kill’, ‘looks that would blow
up’ and ‘wage war’.
Exhibit
3:
“Photos of War Hero in Dazed & Confused Aiden Andrews, Anthony Murrell & Taras Koltun by Richard Burbridge for Dazed & Confused Magazine June 2010 pushes the boundary’s of men’s fashion to the edge with their latest editorial ‘War Hero‘ for their July 2010 issue. Photographed by Richard Burbridge, and styled by fashion editor Robbie Spencer, this daring spread is sure to rub some people the wrong way – featuring stoic portraits of models Aiden Andrews (Ford), Anthony Murrell (New York Models) and Taras Koltun (DNA) wearing the latest in menswear from the Fall collections, all in various stages of trauma and deformity. Dynamic yet disturbing. Hair by Shon at Julian Watson. Makeup by Peter Philips at Art + Commerce.”
This accompanying editorial makes reference to society’s
reaction to the photoshoot. It is meant to provoke reaction with its strong
reference to the original inspiration of military trench coat and officer’s
cap, clothes worn by war heroes of the past. Strong connections to the
‘bloodiness’ of war are made with red wool representing fallen soldiers.
Exhibit 4 & 5:
Photos of I Am The Queen (Via: amatohautecouture, behance.net)
Haute couture with strong military influence used to show a
woman of power.
French Dragoon Helmet from Waterloo 1815
“This helmet was picked up from the battlefield of
Waterloo in the aftermath of the Duke of Wellington’s victory over the French
in 1815. Dragoons were originally soldiers trained and armed to fight either
mounted or on foot, but by the early 19th century were primarily heavy cavalry.
During the battle, Marshal Ney had launched repeated
cavalry charges against the British infantry squares, which had held firm
despite suffering heavy casualties from artillery fire.
Although more and more men were committed to the
attack, the boggy ground hampered the French cavalry and eventually the attacks
were called off. Dragoons, now organized as armoured units, still serve in both
the French and British armies of today.” National Army Museum
Exhibit 6:
The Somme: Though this was a battle of trenches and barbed
wire, other actions in the First World War were little different from the era
of Waterloo
As the enemy
masses came forward, they were mauled and harrowed by devastating rifle fire.
‘It is impossible to miss German infantry,’ wrote 43-year-old Major Bertie
Trevor, a company commander in the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. ‘They
come on in heaps.’
Trevor later
recalled the battle as: ‘Too terrible for words . . . we fired 350 rounds a man in my company, and did a good deal
of execution. But we were in an absolute trap — it is a marvel that anyone
there is alive and untouched.
‘Until one has
been for hours pelted at with shrapnel, machine-guns and rifle fire, one cannot
understand war. Where the fun comes in, I don’t know’.
This
photograph depicts the misery of the muddy trenches of the first World War. “There were
over a million deaths in the British military over the course of the First
and Second World Wars, with the First World War alone accounting for some
886,000 fatal casualties in the British armed forces. In addition to
this, there were close to 70,000 British civilian deaths, the vast majority of
these occurring in the Second World War.” The National Archives
Exhibit 7:
Harpers
Bazaar May 2010
“Daria Werbowy is
prepared for battle in a miltary-themed shoot from the main spread of May’s Harper’s Bazaar Spain. In front of the lens
of Nico, Daria has never looked hotter as she wears ensembles from labels such
as Louis Vuitton, Balmain and Max Mara.”
Stark
contrasts can made with this image from Harpers Bazaar where the model is made
to look provocative in military wear a far cry from the real scenes of the
trenches.
Exhibit 8:
The Battle of Isandlwana, 22
January 1879
Oil on canvas by Charles Edwin Fripp (1854-1906), 1885 (c).
“This painting
illustrates one of the worst disasters suffered by the British Army in the late
nineteenth century. Charles Fripp arrived in Zululand in March 1879 as the
'special artist' for 'The Graphic'. Not an eyewitness, he reconstructed this
event as more heroic than the shambles it must have been. The painting made
little impact when it was exhibited in 1885, as ‘The last stand at Isandhula’,
since the event was neither glorious nor topical. However, attitudes and
interests have changed, particularly since the film 'Zulu' appeared in 1964. It
is now the most popular image in the National Army Museum.” National Army
Museum
Exhibit 8:
Finnish Elle Magazine 2010 showing military inspired look
Officers helmet royal regiment of horse guards 1815 leather,
gilt brass, silk velvet and silk fine cord work.
Museum Task Visit
We were asked to visit “Superhuman”, an exhibition exploring
human enhancement, at the Wellcome Institute. This exhibition focused on our
desire to correct defects in our bodies but also taking it to the extremes of
improving our body functions beyond their original capabilities. Our task was
to select one object to discuss. I was particularly disturbed by this installation
by Floris Kaayk entitled “Metalosis Meligna” produced in 2006.
The installation comprised of a human form in an ordinary
hospital setting whose body seemed to be eaten away by metal prostheses so that
the person looked like something from a horror movie.
The installation was originally made as part of a pseudo
documentary produced by the artist who was exploring the implications of the
overuse of prostheses in our ageing population. Its purpose in the exhibition is to make us think beyond what
we have already achieved with advances in medicine and to act as a cautionary
note as perhaps we should be looking for more natural ways of solving problems
as we may be unleashing and creating a potentially destructive force.
