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Portfolios / A Constructed State of Being
Every one had a purpose, once. But when no longer needed,
when unwanted and discarded, what then? For some, here was a place for
rejuvenation and a return to their previous existence. Others were destined
to become something different, stripped, re-imagined, built again. Collectively,
they revealed ways that a society had conditioned itself. Somewhere between
extremes of idealised homogeneous perfection and non-conformist individuality,
this alternative vision of humanity was not of flesh and blood but undoubtedly
born from it.
Through a black and white documentary frame, with references to elements
of portraiture and cinematic narrative, A Constructed State
of Being uses the mannequins of Mannakin Hall to reflect
ideas around collectivism and counterculture. Existentialist philosophies
connected to function and motive, freedom and the burden of an authentic
life are considered. Themes of identity and the perception of the human
body come to the fore, highlighting the inherent conflict between a person’s
need to be uniquely recognised against the community-wide expectation
for people to comply with particular physical standards and behavioural
rules set by those with influence or power.
The familiar and the peculiar entwine and unsettle in pseudo-realism,
evoking a sense of unease, as a stranger might feel in a place or situation
unknown. In the unusual, it is difficult to feel a sense of belonging.
Without a role or sense of purpose, it is even harder to fit in. Adaptability
becomes an important trait. Another head, another body, another set of
abilities. What does it cost to belong, or not? Are people valued less
if they choose a more detached, independent, autonomous life? Are such
choices a consequence of free will, or is that itself an illusion masking
the inevitability of what we were always created to be?
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© GREIG CLIFFORD.
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ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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