Dollhouse

On Display

“On Display” is a series of self portraits documenting the performance of communal beauty rituals between the artists, citing pre-colonial South American performances and contrasting them with the very euro-centric means of displaying art in museums, particularly of stolen artifacts. Draping and fitting each other into garments, applying each others’ makeup, and styling each others’ hair act as tools to demonstrate the connectivity between the artists, highlighting the importance of these intimate practices. Throughout the series, the artists define traditions for themselves and curate the way they’re exhibited. Using eye-level foam-core and a mirror as stand-ins for a museum wall, the artists place themselves on display both in front of and behind the wall using busts and body parts to present the performances as still moments without context. Contrasting styling choices throughout the story act as an attempt to engage with beautifying rituals in both ancestral and contemporary ways. In staying true to the ethos of Dollhouse the viewer is encouraged to question their own traditional practices and how they occupy space within the communities they belong to.