Jon Clark - The Ultimate 'Look'

Based on Patrick Suskind's famous book Perfume,  Illustrator Jon Clark shows that the links between reading and consuming the written word are closer than we may imagine.  By examining the indulgence of one mans greatest passion, his sense of smell, and the relationship with the emotional meaning that scents may carry, Clark's skin imprints insinuate that the link between the murderous intention of the central character and fashion's obsession with procuring identity through the decorated body are intertwined.  As the book goes on, smell assumes such an importance that it becomes close to the building bricks of human interaction.  Charm, innocence, courage, godliness - all of the just scents, all of them within Grenouille's reach.  It is this obsession with procuring the perfect scent that will make Grenouille fully human, thereby allowing him to consume and envelop himself in the originator of the scent, subsequently allowing Clark to mirror fashions cosmetic desire to uncover the ultimate 'look'.

First Impressions - Marked

Marked

"The marked series is an investigation into the residue left behind by jewellery, the physical presence and sensations which resonate on the skin after a piece has been removed. This project uses skin as a self-referential mechanism and demonstrates how surfaces can be gently manipulated to respond to ephemeral embellishments.  The premise behind the marked series is the ability of skin to transmute into temporary articles of jewellery, in addition to the more common role as a site for adornment."  

As seen on Klimt02

Scar me to show my personal identity?

Continuing the theme of skin imprints I thought you should also see the work of the Swiss artist Daniele Buetti.  His  pictures of airbrushed beautiful women with scars on their faces are constructed to show emotion and feelings within the work, and also to portray personal identity.

Adriana Page Russell - Skin Tattoos

Ariana Page Russell has a skin condition called dermatographia, where the skin is overly sensitive to minor injuries. Even light scratches will cause it to become red and raised. This is an immune system skin hypersensitivity that releases histamine which is the chemical (neuro-transmitter) your body produces when you’re having an allergic reaction. High levels of histamine cause her blood vessels to dilate and make the vessel walls abnormally permeable and this causes the welts to appear. The welts reportedly last for 30 minutes, giving the artist time to draw various patterns on her body and then take pictures of the drawings.

Skin Impressions

Skin imprints found on Flickr

Overload on the possibiities of imprints

I think I have seen it all now. Now it is possible to purchase wearable tile decoration. These tiles are supposed to be used for swimming pool areas. This concept is about hanging out with friends enjoying your free time and taking advantage of the unpleasant marks left on your skin after sitting on the ground for some time. The tiles replace these marks with decorative short lasting tattoos on the skin. As fashion comes and goes this tattoo appears and disappears. Tile size: 30 x 30 cm Material: coloured concrete

Lasting Impressions

Face printer by Jule Jenckel


Suggestively clever bed sheets by Finnish designer Martina Carpelan for Helsinki Hotel. Blurb from the website – “Show me your skin and I’ll tell you who you are. Rise and sigh is a collection of revealing bed sheets that plays with incidents often taking place in hotels. Different sleeping positions give different imprints on the sleepers’ body. The imprints give you a hint about last night’s atmosphere, suggest you what to do and tell things about you.The Rise and sigh collection consists of three embroidered bed sets; for the bachelor, for the love affair and for the one night stand.”



Souffrez Pour Moi is the creation of Ninette Van Kamp. Women have always been encouraged to achieve an unrealistic state of 'ideal' beauty even in cases where it has been detrimental to their health. This is apparent in more extreme examples like the Victorian corset and Chinese foot binding. Women, it seems, are willing to suffer for the sake of beauty.

Ninette is interested in conveying this relationship through textiles, looking at seams and mark makings on the body in particular. But on the inside, there are seams, beads, and textured fabric which create imprints on the skin when you wear them.

Incidental body casts

Rankin

Philip Toledano

Looking at the work of photographer Philip Toledano I came across these images, here the memory of the objects/items of clothing embedded in the body is exciting because of the absence of material. The image by Rankin I found by complete fluke, and so confirms that I somehow must be on the right observational trail. Staring at these images I can recall having the same sensation when I stood in front of the work of Rachel Whiteread. The impossibility of retaining the moment has been overturned by capturing the essence of improbability through the lens.