UWM Arts+Technology Night

The Superhero Within is a series of six 16×24″ photographs that explores how we use our clothes as a uniform. Sometimes we dress to show our personality, while other times we dress to blend in and hide who we are; in either case, clothing and fashion are important ways in which individuals construct a social identity for themselves.

Uniforms can be helpful signifiers when it comes to identifying   somebody’s occupation,  as with doctors, police officers, fire fighters, and others who may help. On the other hand, one’s manner of dress can lead others to make assumptions about what particular clothing choices signify about one’s personality, lifestyle, or values, and can in some cases lead to stereotyping.  As much as we probably hate to admit it we are all guilty of judging a book by its cover, except in this case we judge others by the way they dress; furthermore, we all attempt to influence how others see us by our choice in clothes, making connections to certain social stereotypes and roles.

I also wanted to explore how blending in is over rated. Everyone has dreams and fantasies that they do not get to live out. At one time or another, often during our childhood, many people have fantasized about being a superhero, or perhaps a favorite videogame character. Where it is up to you to save the world, or perhaps save a damsel in distress. With all of the video games and Hollywood films that surround us in this culture, it has become possible to extend this fantasy into adulthood. So in this series I asked my models to live out their fantasy, and not to hold back.

Uniforms were made for the purpose of making us look the same, but what if we made our own? What if we decided to show off what makes us unique, and did the opposite such as stand out ? I remember when I was little my parents bought me these hot pink shoes, I loved them an thought they were so cool. But when I wore them to school I was laughed at, and it took years to live it down. I watched the same thing happen again and again to some of my other friends, and it was frustrating to see. I find it paradoxical that in a culture that praises individuality, individuals are often pressured to conform.

Deep down inside I also think everyone wants to be a hero, whether it’s telling someone getting off the bus they dropped their glove, or a doctor saving lives. No one should feel the pressure to conform, we are all individuals and no matter what are fantasies are, or who we strive to be like, we shouldn’t be afraid to be ourselves. We should dress for the occasion, so why not make our own superheroes, and be our own heroes?