the message is quite clear
There are about ten people listening intently to a petite woman who is at least a head shorter than her audience. Her white curls are well-primed and kindly wrinkles will reveal themselves frequently as she speaks. "And now we shall take a look at this piece. It's by an artist called Nicola Costantino. Any idea what does the material remind you of?"
Flan moves to the side so that she can have a better look. There are four items encased in a big display glass - a full-length evening gown, a pair of high stilettos, a designer's bag and a football. The latter does not quite fit in with the rest of the items, she frowns as she tries to think of a rationale behind it. All four pieces of sculpture are made of the same brown, suede-like material, a little rough and leathery.
The pause drags on for another second or so, before the Art guide leading the tour that afternoon decides to reveal the obvious - "Human skin!"
Everyone gasps!
"Oh not real human skin of course but a material fashioned to resemble human skin, as you can see, erm, the patterns here resemble certain, human...er anatomy, don't you think?"
Everyone moves forward for a clearer look. Yes, on closer scrutiny, the leathery dress is made up of squares of anuses and the stilettos made up of nipples. It's all done in a manner that is tasteful and aesthetically pleasing. That, is the problem, Flan can't help thinking, as she chews her lips and frowns harder.
"....as you can see, the artist is trying to comment on the way at which humans have used all kinds of animal skins to create commercially viable products. We think nothing of it if it's snake skin or crocodile skin but what if it's skin of our kind? We feel the horror of wearing such skin but not of those taken from animals. Yet at the same time, it does not seem absolutely impossible that designers of today may well push the boundary of what is 'acceptable'," she continues on with a soft chuckle, tucking a loose hair behind her ear, "...you just never know these days anything seems possible!"
No one, at least, no one till now, has dared imagine human skin to be suitable skirt or bag material. And now that someone has, for all her noble intention - to make us re-think the commercialization of animal skin, a seed is now planted and yes indeed, you just never know.
posted by Flaneur @ 12:58 PM
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