Lauren Elson
Doll’s World, 2020
Digital Inkjet print
20 x 24 inches each
Color and purposeful styling have always been a central theme of my work. I love photographing familiar faces and people who are comfortable in front of me. Developing a relationship between myself and the subject creates the beauty and power I find essential to photography. For my project Doll’s World, I decided to push my typical idealistic and editorial images. I have fallen prey to beautiful images with beautiful people wearing beautiful clothing. I have bought into this editorial and unrealistic world and I struggle with understanding the relationship admiration, jealousy and resentment for this work. I decided to further explore this concept by making my subject into a lifeless doll-- plastic and perfect. Her body positioning language as well as her facial expressions show her lack of life and personality and it is intended to make a statement about the lack of individuality models are allowed. It was shot in multiple locations to exaggerate the concept of Dolls World, one that is all encompassing. Once you have entered the plastic and superficial world it is hard to escape it.
