Hairpin
Photograph
1993 (made)
1993 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Critical of the pressure the fashion and beauty press place on women to be "young, thin and conventionally beautiful regardless of our natural features" (Gregory, 2004), in 1993 Joy Gregory produced a series of photographs of the objects women use every day to make themselves more attractive. As well as this hairpin, the ‘Objects of Beauty’ series includes a corset, a comb, false eyelashes, curlers, jewellery, stockings and lace knickers. Each object is photographed on its own and printed as a calotype, a photographic process which was popular in the nineteenth century and which is characterised by subtle tonal differences. These formal qualities give the individual objects an iconic status and ironically, they themselves become beautiful in their still-life guises. Furthermore, the aged feel of the calotype print suggests that the tyranny of feminine beauty has existed for far too long.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Titles |
|
Materials and techniques | Kallitype |
Brief description | Photograph by Joy Gregory, 'Hairpin' from the series 'Objects of Beauty', kallitype, 1993 |
Physical description | A Kallitype photograph depicting a hairpin. |
Dimensions |
|
Credit line | Supported by the Friends of the V&A |
Subjects depicted | |
Summary | Critical of the pressure the fashion and beauty press place on women to be "young, thin and conventionally beautiful regardless of our natural features" (Gregory, 2004), in 1993 Joy Gregory produced a series of photographs of the objects women use every day to make themselves more attractive. As well as this hairpin, the ‘Objects of Beauty’ series includes a corset, a comb, false eyelashes, curlers, jewellery, stockings and lace knickers. Each object is photographed on its own and printed as a calotype, a photographic process which was popular in the nineteenth century and which is characterised by subtle tonal differences. These formal qualities give the individual objects an iconic status and ironically, they themselves become beautiful in their still-life guises. Furthermore, the aged feel of the calotype print suggests that the tyranny of feminine beauty has existed for far too long. |
Associated object | E.2932-1995 (Set) |
Bibliographic reference | Victoria and Albert Museum Department of Prints, Drawings and Paintings Accession Register for 1995 |
Collection | |
Accession number | E.2931-1995 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
Record created | May 4, 2007 |
Record URL |
Download as: JSON