chosen skin yuki obayashi senior thesis 2021
GROWING UP, I FACED INTENSE INSECURITY WITH MY SKIN. MY LEGS USED TO BRUISE EASILY AND I WOULD FREQUENTLY BE COVERED IN BLACK AND BLUE SPLOTCHES. I WOULD STEAL MY MOTHER’S FOUNDATION AND TRY TO HIDE AS MUCH AS I COULD. I WOULD NEVER LEAVE THE HOUSE WITHOUT FIRST MAKING SURE I HAD APPLIED MAKEUP OVER EVERY BLEMISH, SCAR, AND BUMP ON MY FACE. WHEN I DIDN’T HAVE MAKEUP ON, I REFUSED TO LOOK AT MYSELF IN THE MIRROR. MY EXPERIENCES MOTIVATED ME TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH OUR SKIN AND SEEK OUT STORIES FROM THOSE WHO LIVE WITH VARIOUS SKIN CONDITIONS. THIS COLLECTION EXPLORES HOW WE PERCEIVE VARIOUS SKIN CONDITIONS AND ENCOURAGES US TO CONFRONT OUR OWN BIASES ABOUT WHAT MAKES OUR BODIES DESIRABLE.
RESEARCH
I WANT TO C SPACE WHER IS BROKEN
OUR CONCEPT OF DISEASE IS BA ON CURRENT UNDE RSTANDING O NORMAL VS. ABNO RMAL, WHICH LINKED TO SOCIET AL STANDARD
CREATE A RE THIS CYCLE
ASED OF H IS DS
ILL IENCE W D U A T E G TARG ENTIFYIN ID E L A BE FEM ALS INDIVIDU
SKETCHE
S
ZOOMED IN IMAGES OF VARIOUS SKIN COND ITIONS WITH JACKET OUTL INE ON TOP
TRACING OVER PSORIASIS RASHES
ARTIST ION T A R I P S N I
SAL
LY H E
WET
T
FOCUSES WORK ON THE MOST VULNERABLE PARTS OF THE BODY KICK-ASS, ANGEL SKIN, PADDING, FELTING WOOL, STITCH, QUILTING HOOP 48 X 48 X 20 CM, 2016
PLAQUE, LYCRA, ANGEL SKIN, NYLON, FOAM, EMBROIDERY SILK, QUILTING HOOP 65 X 33 X 14C M, 2019
SERPENTINE FLURRY, POLYSTYRENE, STEEL PINS, GEMSTO NES 19.5 X 28.5 X 17.5 CM, 2019
MATERIALS ARE USED TO REPRESENT SOMETHING DECAYING AND DISGUSTING
YAN R N E HLE
KAT THE PARTS THAT ARE MOST DECAYING ARE ALSO THE PARTS THAT ARE MOST ALIVE
GREEN-EYED MONSTER, POLYSTYRENE, STEEL PINS, GEMSTONES 19.5 X 28.5 X 17.5 CM, 2019
VITILIGO JACKET
*EVERY JACKET IS MADE FROM STRICTLY THRIFTED MATERIAL
FIRST EXPLORATION: LIGHT BEIGE DENIM STITCHED ON TOP OF DARK BROWN DENIM
HAN CUT DEN
SPOKE WITH IOMIKOE JOHNSON, A BEAUTY ACTIVIST, WHO TOLD ME ABOUT HER EXPERIENCES LIVING WITH VITILIGO. SOME HIGHLIGHTS ARE STITCHED INTO THE JACKET LINING
ND-DYED WHITE JEANS, T AND GLUED TO BROWN NIM
BLURRY FACES: WHEN WE SEE SOMEONE WITH A STRIKING SKIN CONDITION, WE ARE MORE LIKELY TO STARE AT THEIR SKIN THAN AT THEIR FACE. THEIR FACIAL FEATURES AND IDENTITY GET LOST IN MEMORY, BUT THEIR SKIN REMAINS CLEAR IN OUR MINDS
PSORIASIS JACKE T
LINING MADE FROM DYED BED SHEET
FIRST EXPLORATIONS: EMBROIDERED RASHES WITH BEADS
INSIGHTFUL INTERVIEW WITH REENA RUPARELIA ABOUT HER EXPERIENCES WITH PSORIASIS. HIGHLIGHTS ARE STITCHED INTO THE JACKET LINING
EMBROIDERY TO MIMIC PSORIASIS RASHES
SEVE
JAC E N C A RE
KET
FIRST EXPLORATIONS: WATERED DOWN DYE PAINTED IN LAYERS, THEN USED WATERCOLOR (EASIER TO BLEND)
EXCERPT FROM SIMON TROETH’S BLOG DETAILING HIS EXPERIENCES WITH SEVERE CYSTIC ACNE. I FOUND HIS STORY INCREDIBLY INSPIRING AND HIGHLIGHTED IT IN MY JACKET
ACNE AND PSORIASIS JACKETS START FROM WHITE DENIM. THEY ARE CUT INTO SQUARES AND DYED