CHIMERA
Chimera is an anthropological, social and historical Photographic project, which delves into the unseen world of Guernsey’s community of make believe history and fantasy. Guernsey is steeped in a rich History of pride and fascination. This Photographic project observes on how the past, present and the future can be brought to life, through imagination and fabrication.
The project Chimera, glimpses into a world that is inhabited by all ages and vocational interests. This enchanted world and its people are all linked by one thing alone, which is the magical realm of dress up.
The concept of costumes has been a long-standing fascination and has numerous connotations for me. There seems to be some type of mortal enthralment through the process of dressing up. Historically, people have been dressing up for thousands of years, for religious purposes, for party’s and balls and for the theatre. Over the last few decades, dressing in a particular costume has become very popular; with many different types of people from all works of life beginning to dress in costumes.
There are many questions, on why we feel the need to dress up and how it makes us feel as individuals or as a group. Is there an unconscious human need to dress up and escape our customary world? Or indeed by the power of a costume, it can transport our body and mind into a world of make believe and fantasy, where anything can be possible. We can transport ourselves to any part of history and the future, or even an aberration world of paradise
The project Chimera is photographed in people’s homes juxtaposing their private and home spaces, which will link all of the historical and fantasy costumes together. Taking the portraits in peoples homes, will also give us a small yet thought-provoking glimpse into the Guernsey home of the 21st century. This project is only photographed in Guernsey and it has become a historical account of Guernsey’s people today and their lives in our ever-changing society. The Chimera project has been caught through the lens of a camera, a long history of Guernsey traditional dress up. Furthermore Chimera perhaps also captures the beginning of its demise, as the younger generations have their own costumes and their own contemporary culture.
