aw 14 distorted reflections
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KANSO ISSUE NO.1 AUTUMN / WINTER 2014
DISTORTED REFLECTIONS “Imperfection is in some way sort of essential to all that we know of life. It is the sign of life in a mortal body, of a state of progress and change. Nothing that lives is, or can be, rigidly perfect; part of it is decaying, part nascent...and in all things that live there are certain irregularities and deficiencies which are not only signs of life, but sources of beauty. To banish imperfection is to destroy expression, to check exertion, to paralyse vitality.� - John Ruskin
DISTORTED REFLECTIONS
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DISTORTED REFLECTIONS
#5 model / amy ritson
KANSO
i think perfection is ugly. somewhere in the things humans make, i want to see scars, failure, disorder, distortion. - Yohji Yamamoto
#7
“ROLE MODELS NOT REAL MODELS” Atelophobia. The fear of imperfection. A complex mental disorder, often affecting highly intelligent individuals, whom despite possessing vast capability continue to seek the impossible. I believe a little of this disorder hibernates in each of us. Self comparison, self evaluation and self enhancement have become an obsession as we thrive to mimic the media’s forgery. It is quite apparaent the photoshopped ideal is unrealistic, unhealthy and undeniably fake- yet we still fall victim to idolising the manipulated celebrity.
-Words by Jenna Galley-
Salavador Dali said, “Have no fear of perfection you’ll never reach it.” This is something I only wish could replace the tedious fakery we seem to accept. Instead, we should become fearful of the digitally warped myth of perfection that has corrupted the minds of society. We need to question models acting as glorified hangers and instead push new York designer, Carrie Hammer’s message of ‘Role models not real models,’ remembering that people with disabilities are consumers of fashion too. We need to step outside the industry’s cult and understand that imperfection isn’t a bad thing, it is in fact what makes us human. In the fashion world, height is a valuable trait, however for sufferers of Acromegaly, excess growth is a target for unwanted stares. Acromegaly, stemming from the Greek words ‘extremities’ and ‘enlargement’ is a rare, insidious disease caused by a tumour on the pituitary gland. It results in severe disfigurement, complicating conditions and in cases premature death. My mother, Mary Galley has lived with acromegaly for ten years, but was only diagnosed three years ago. “I didn’t know what was happening, my feet grew two sizes bigger, my lips started to resemble a botox job and trips to the doctors became a weekly norm. I’ve come to terms with my disease, but I’ll never accept my appearance. Acromegaly has me trapped.” A quick online search of Acromegaly gave me Mary Bevan, a freak show participant, Maurice Tillet, the inspiration behind Shrek and Richard Kiel, best known for his role as Jaws in James Bond. With the results of the ‘Ugliest woman in the world’, an ogre and a villian it is not suprising why sufferers are full of insecurities. My mother may look in the mirror and see a distorted reflection but I see a woman of strength.
#9
When faced with the question, “What is perfection?” Mary said, “A lie. They always go on about it on adverts but believe me I’ve tried every ‘perfecting’ serum and I’ve still got a face full of wrinkles and acromegaly.” Something Japanese designer, Yohji Yamamoto would be proud of. Yamamoto has successfully made a 37 year career focusing on the embracement of imperfection. He believes in failure, disorder, distortion and scarring and controversially finds the idea of perfection, ugly. His native Japan believe when something has suffered damage it becomes more beautiful than it’s previous state. The aesthetic philosophy, known as Wabi Sabi celebrates authenticity, valuing asymmetry and irregularity. This acceptance of transience makes the industry’s fabrication seem ridiculous. Why remove, blemish and scarring, signs of strength and survival to portray perfection, something that doesn’t actually exist? The Japanese aesthetic accepts the fragile state and admires the humble and the unpretentious. To me, the perfect answer to desensitise the media’s current portrayal. We are all going to get spots, grow old, develop illness, we’re all going to die. The question is are we ready to do this without documenting it all through an Instagram filter? Are we ready to stop living a lie? In the words of my mother,
“I’m not asking to be a model, I just want to be accepted.”
#11 model/ graham galley
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DISTORTED REFLECTIONS
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KANSO ISSUE NO.1 AUTUMN / WINTER 2014