Fire - Red - Love

Artist Statement: 

“Do not pity the dead Harry.  Pity the living, and, above all, those who live without love.”- Albus Dumbledore,  J.K. Rowling

 

For my final theme I decided to use props as it would round off the project well and unexpectedly.  I made the masks by hand and from scratch last year and putting them together formed my concept. The reason the models are wearing masks is that, when in a relationship people almost never show themselves or give of themselves fully for fear of getting hurt. The male model is wearing a werewolf mask. In folk law a werewolf is a man that is curse and therefore turns into a wolf on the full moon. Its concept of the transformational aspect of the character is used to show how people change from what you except into their reality in any relationship. The female model is wearing a Venetian Masquerade mask. In history lowly women would save up to purchase one of these masks to wear to the Carnivale. The more extravagant the mask, the less likely someone is to know that you are from a different class. This subterfuge was often the only way these ladies could raise above their social standings. The concept of hiding your true self, your heritage and roots in a relationship is what this mask represents.

The female model is wearing a deeper, more dominate red and the male model is wearing a lighter, more submissive shade. To me this represents the power dynamic that I observe in the relationships I see in my family. I decided to show this as it also challenges rolls of a woman and a man take in a relationship as seen by society. I also used space differently in these pictures, in comparison to that of my previous themes. In the first picture they are sitting close together and are embracing slightly. This represents the beginning stages of a relationship where everything is new and beautiful. The second picture has them back to back, pressed up against each other unforgivingly but still holding hands. This represents the next stage in a relationship where trials and tribulations will test them but if the manage it together and persevere they could make it through. The final picture has the models only touching at their joined hands and walking in sync towards the camera. This represents the end stages of a relationship where the passionate love might be gone but the companionship sees them through the long haul.