Mannequin Model Portraits
I rescued this female shop mannequin from a rubbish skip in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The women’s clothing store she came from was closing down, and her fate was landfill. She’s a full body, and transporting all her body parts home took me a few trips, but she’s my muse. This collection showcases her in a series of mannequin model portraits.
Mannequin Model
Her appearance has a story to tell. Scratches and paint peel modifications on her surface give her character – what I call “environmental tattoos.” Unfortunately, she’s also adorned with a thick layer of colourful party girl makeup, plastered onto her facial features. In line with this party girl theme, her fingernails are glued with garish sparkly blue and glittery red-fang false nails.
Her one-armed torso rests atop a set of two office-style mobile drawers. She sits with her back to large northwest-facing windows, where the lighting from behind and the side highlights her contours. Meanwhile, her unattached arm lies neglected in a different room. Her legs, too, sit idle in the corner near the door to the studio. From the joining rod protruding from her hips, I hang my face masks.
While researching mannequin terminology, I stumbled upon a fantastic blog written by Judi, the ‘Queen of the Used Mannequin’ – a great resource for all things mannequin.
This gallery features black and white portraits of the mannequin’s face and torso.
