Chosen Skin - Yuki Obayashi

chosen skin yuki obayashi senior thesis 2021

GROWING UP, I FACED INTENSE INSECURITY WITH MY SKIN. MY LEGS USED TO BRUISE EASILY AND I WOULD FREQUENTLY BE COVERED IN BLACK AND BLUE SPLOTCHES. I WOULD STEAL MY MOTHER’S FOUNDATION AND TRY TO HIDE AS MUCH AS I COULD. I WOULD NEVER LEAVE THE HOUSE WITHOUT FIRST MAKING SURE I HAD APPLIED MAKEUP OVER EVERY BLEMISH, SCAR, AND BUMP ON MY FACE. WHEN I DIDN’T HAVE MAKEUP ON, I REFUSED TO LOOK AT MYSELF IN THE MIRROR. MY EXPERIENCES MOTIVATED ME TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH OUR SKIN AND SEEK OUT STORIES FROM THOSE WHO LIVE WITH VARIOUS SKIN CONDITIONS. THIS COLLECTION EXPLORES HOW WE PERCEIVE VARIOUS SKIN CONDITIONS AND ENCOURAGES US TO CONFRONT OUR OWN BIASES ABOUT WHAT MAKES OUR BODIES DESIRABLE.

RESEARCH

I WANT TO C SPACE WHER IS BROKEN

OUR CONCEPT OF DISEASE IS BA ON CURRENT UNDE RSTANDING O NORMAL VS. ABNO RMAL, WHICH LINKED TO SOCIET AL STANDARD

CREATE A RE THIS CYCLE

ASED OF H IS DS

ILL IENCE W D U A T E G TARG ENTIFYIN ID E L A BE FEM ALS INDIVIDU

SKETCHE

S

ZOOMED IN IMAGES OF VARIOUS SKIN COND ITIONS WITH JACKET OUTL INE ON TOP

TRACING OVER PSORIASIS RASHES

ARTIST ION T A R I P S N I

SAL

LY H E

WET

T

FOCUSES WORK ON THE MOST VULNERABLE PARTS OF THE BODY KICK-ASS, ANGEL SKIN, PADDING, FELTING WOOL, STITCH, QUILTING HOOP 48 X 48 X 20 CM, 2016

PLAQUE, LYCRA, ANGEL SKIN, NYLON, FOAM, EMBROIDERY SILK, QUILTING HOOP 65 X 33 X 14C M, 2019

SERPENTINE FLURRY, POLYSTYRENE, STEEL PINS, GEMSTO NES 19.5 X 28.5 X 17.5 CM, 2019

MATERIALS ARE USED TO REPRESENT SOMETHING DECAYING AND DISGUSTING

YAN R N E HLE

KAT THE PARTS THAT ARE MOST DECAYING ARE ALSO THE PARTS THAT ARE MOST ALIVE

GREEN-EYED MONSTER, POLYSTYRENE, STEEL PINS, GEMSTONES 19.5 X 28.5 X 17.5 CM, 2019

VITILIGO JACKET

*EVERY JACKET IS MADE FROM STRICTLY THRIFTED MATERIAL

FIRST EXPLORATION: LIGHT BEIGE DENIM STITCHED ON TOP OF DARK BROWN DENIM

HAN CUT DEN

SPOKE WITH IOMIKOE JOHNSON, A BEAUTY ACTIVIST, WHO TOLD ME ABOUT HER EXPERIENCES LIVING WITH VITILIGO. SOME HIGHLIGHTS ARE STITCHED INTO THE JACKET LINING

ND-DYED WHITE JEANS, T AND GLUED TO BROWN NIM

BLURRY FACES: WHEN WE SEE SOMEONE WITH A STRIKING SKIN CONDITION, WE ARE MORE LIKELY TO STARE AT THEIR SKIN THAN AT THEIR FACE. THEIR FACIAL FEATURES AND IDENTITY GET LOST IN MEMORY, BUT THEIR SKIN REMAINS CLEAR IN OUR MINDS

PSORIASIS JACKE T

LINING MADE FROM DYED BED SHEET

FIRST EXPLORATIONS: EMBROIDERED RASHES WITH BEADS

INSIGHTFUL INTERVIEW WITH REENA RUPARELIA ABOUT HER EXPERIENCES WITH PSORIASIS. HIGHLIGHTS ARE STITCHED INTO THE JACKET LINING

EMBROIDERY TO MIMIC PSORIASIS RASHES

SEVE

JAC E N C A RE

KET

FIRST EXPLORATIONS: WATERED DOWN DYE PAINTED IN LAYERS, THEN USED WATERCOLOR (EASIER TO BLEND)

EXCERPT FROM SIMON TROETH’S BLOG DETAILING HIS EXPERIENCES WITH SEVERE CYSTIC ACNE. I FOUND HIS STORY INCREDIBLY INSPIRING AND HIGHLIGHTED IT IN MY JACKET

ACNE AND PSORIASIS JACKETS START FROM WHITE DENIM. THEY ARE CUT INTO SQUARES AND DYED