Aren't they sweet? I thought so too. All the names have been omitted to protect the innocent :)
Now you have to understand one things about all the men that I asked to model for me: they are not jewelry people. I went to art school, and I went through a program with some guys who were just as passionate about wearing jewelry as I was. My models, not so much. None of them resisted the idea of modeling for me (much), but I
I didn't choose my models based on their comfort levels in front of the camera... I wanted guys with something behind the eyes, and they all instantly became self-conscious on me.
The one thing that really shocked me about this project was how all these guys were instantly concerned with their appearances... what to wear, how to fix their hair, etc. All I could really think was, "Wow, not so different from one another are we?"
It was cute :)
But this realization about the similarities between men and women in the face of being photographed for the sake of a piece of jewelry also made me think about how women use their clothing and jewelry like shields.
Are we really all that afraid to just be ourselves? I like to think that the work I make helps women feel strong and capable, but the truth is that the jewelry can't bring to the surface what isn't already present in the wearer.
I make reminders, not shields.
So, to the men who chose to help me with this project, I thank you. Your bravery and audacity in the face of your discomfort really made me smile.
For more information about the Supbrooch exhibition, please head on over to their website: http://www.supbrooch.com/
