Chantelle Kitchen
Statement:
For an eighteenth century woman of status, the fan became an essential and significant accessory: not only as an effective method of keeping cool but more intriguingly as an expression of her body language. The ability to manipulate the fan was an indication of elegance and even beauty, however, it also enabled a woman to chose whether to show or hide her emotions. Inspired by this empowering concept, I have chosen to explore the language of the fan and the expression of emotion, through the positioning of an object in front of the face. The objects themselves are merely props and have no intrinsic value. Their purpose is to reveal a sentiment, which would otherwise be disguised. By producing photographic images as my finished pieces, I intend to show how worthless materials can be manipulated into powerful and expressive body adornments.
