The Bond (2023)

The dress that Queen Victoria wore to her wedding in 1840 sparked the tradition for brides wearing white, a tradition that many assume is centuries older. White is seen to symbolize purity, virginity and innocence. Similarly, blonde hair has been seen to represent youth, beauty, and European racial purity. By bringing these two symbols together in a dress worn by Queen Victoria, I am questioning the ideals of whiteness and European culture that were forced upon the world during the expansion of the British Empire during her reign.

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The Bond, 2023 (detail). Mixed media (fabric, Kanekalon [synthetic hair]). Photo: Rachel Topham Photography

The Bond, 2023. Mixed media (fabric, Kanekalon [synthetic hair]). Photo: Rachel Topham Photography

The Bond, 2023 (Detail). Mixed media (fabric, Kanekalon [synthetic hair]). Photo: Rachel Topham Photography

The Bond, 2023 (Installation view). Mixed media (fabric, Kanekalon [synthetic hair]). Photo: Rachel Topham Photography

Gloves. Part of The Bond, 2023 installation (detail). Found gloves, dried corn, brass wire. Photo: Rachel Topham Photography

"Mirror", part of The Bond, installation 2023 (detail). Found mirror frame, vinyl screen, human hair. Photo: Rachel Topham Photography

The Bond, 2023. Mixed media (fabric, Kanekalon [synthetic hair]). Photo: Rachel Topham Photography

The Bond, 2023. Mixed media (fabric, Kanekalon [synthetic hair]). Photo: Rachel Topham Photography

The Bond, 2023 (detail). Mixed media (fabric, Kanekalon [synthetic hair]). Photo: Rachel Topham Photography

The Bond, 2023 (detail). Mixed media (fabric, Kanekalon [synthetic hair]). Photo: Rachel Topham Photography