Tribal by Herring and Herring

 

 Make Up: Bryan Zaragoza, Ford Artists NY

Seeking to identify new identities through cosmetic appraisal often means revising old ones, and often that leads to a sense of affirmation through the use of colour and texture within the hair and skin.  The magazine D Mode shows an interesting take on this theme through its 'Tribal' editorial, photographed by Herring and Herring.   There is a recognition here of the original use of tribal decoration, that it is a powerful tool used to not only enhance visual attractiveness but to also identify different tribes, thereby a reflection of emotional and psychological postures and attitudes. 

It is this reflection of postures and attitudes that encourages me to think that make up and body decoration in its many forms used by the various practitioners seen on this blog is becoming a political tool.  One that is used to create new notions for visually representing the self in a world where old concepts are no longer appropriate.