The original image is for Victorinox Luggage, made by Swiss Army, and I found it in the November 2008 issue of Travel and Leisure. The ad features a young couple on the side of a road (presumably) with luxury luggage at their sides. I was drawn to this image, partly because of the implied traveling involved but also by the gazes of the young man and woman and their interactions. The young woman gazes into the viewer's eyes longingly and she looks young and innocent, seeking security from the man, by leaning into him. The man's gaze is angled down and he seems distant and disconnected. He leans against the wall with a strong pose with his arm over the young woman's legs, as if to show his 'territory' although he does not seem to be engaging with her. They both look as if they are caught in eternity waiting for something in life to come along that is more exciting.
For my transformation project, I wanted to capture the gaze of the young man and woman, but wanted to play with the concept of gender in the context of love and marriage. I changed both their 'attire' to that of a wedding gown and groom's tux, but putting the gown on the man and tux on the woman. I think weddings and marriage are the most genderized traditions in our culture, with the bride and groom each having distinct roles and dress, which is why I choose to flip the traditional costuming of each. I also wanted the image to look like an old-fashioned cameo portrait of a wedding day. I think the words around the portrait reflect the gazes on each person's faces, showing their disconnection from one another, and also questioning society's perceptions of love and marriage.
~Chandra Leenheer
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