Labeling

Labels, when used on people, are words that are sometimes mistaken as descriptions. Words such as loser, extremist, overachiever, etc are not descriptions. The use of these words as descriptions is a product of assumptions based on, for the most part, little information and a lot of opinion, which is then projected upon the person. The use of a label to describe someone has the effect of eroding one’s identity, and thereby makes the label the most prominent thing that identifies an individual.

In this series, each subject provided a label, on that was ascribed to the subject by others, that was in turn projected onto their body using a portable projector. The subject was then photographed in a manner akin to a formal portrait.  Only the bottom half of the face is in the frame and that begins to fall to black. The prominent showing of the label then becomes the main focal point, and ultimately, the identity of the individual. It is important that the label provided be one that was ascribed to the subject by others, and not by him or herself. Self-ascribed labels become an integral part of a person’s identity, whereas externally ascribed labels take over a person’s individual identity.

For each image created, the subject is invited to watch while the graphic of their chosen label is created in Photoshop. This serves to help reduce the anxiety that comes with being a model. The anxiety is further reduced and the subject’s relationship to the label becomes more apparent as I take my time in shooting 3 frames.

The ability to see part of a face serves as a reminder to the viewer that therein is still an individual. This project does not aim to stop people from labeling others. In the end, it is up to the individual doing the labeling to decide whether or not to apply one to another individual. The goal of this project is cause an extra step into the labeling person’s thought process and force him or her to consider why they are labeling and what that label can ultimately do to another individual.