Imitating Obsession, 2016, Concrete, Chicken Wire, Tights, Stilettos, Steel, 36”x36”x45“
Imitating Obsession explores gendered apparel and the intersection between clothing and commoditization. Growing up I was not “feminine” and thought little of my clothing choices. It wasn’t until my first job working retail, surrounded by clothing, that I became fixated on transforming my appearance. This fixation evolved into a fetishization, specifically of stiletto shoes. I would spend my entire meager paycheck purchasing these heels despite being physically unable to walk in them.
Taking this apparel outside the context of enticing and polished storefront displays and instead placing them in a context devoid of adornment forces the viewer to consider the utility of such footwear. This piece highlights commodity fetishization and reflects my realization that I had been using clothing as a means to align more perfectly with hegemonic ideals of desirability. Purging these items was cathartic to me, as was finally reaching the understanding that they served me no real purpose.