Wood. Skin. A wooden dress.

Initial research on body image in art and media led to primary research - interviews with several students about their experience with body image. More than one of those students focused on skin.

After material research, I conducted a word association exercise, to help me group my thoughts. I further focused on Group 6:

Adornment
Jewelry
Pride
Skin (body)
Face (body)
Costume
Cosmetics
Bleach
Gaze
Plastic Surgery
Bust (body)

After this, I began to focus on just one part of the body. The skin. And, in relation to my research, I thought of skin color. I remembered seeing some really nice wood veneer samples, for different types of wood and in different colors. Different brown colors…like skin.

I immediately started prototyping. First in paper, then in foam core. I used twine to connect the pieces, which I eventually secured with hot glue.

My full idea was to make a series of wooden dresses, from dark to light, representing a range of skin tones.