Gonçalo Coelho Silva

HOMEPAGE

Your Image Shall Go Further Than You, Nov. 27 - Dec. 14, 2008

"A countryman of mine also living in Sweden, once commented: - In Southern Europe, Metro [the newspaper] has 5 daily pages on football – in Sweden is has 5 pages on fashion. A tv report days ago revealed that generalised daily use of make-up, schoolwise in Sweden, begins at 14. TV reruns of 'Make Me A Top Model' run for hours on weekends and have prime time during weekdays evenings. Fashion blog writers 16 years of age often get first page attention, with free daily newspapers. Pressure and stress are reported to be at an historic high among teenagers in Sweden - specially girls. Does the media spotlight translates on a commanding, hyper media awareness and thus on an over tension on self-appearance, earlier and earlier in society? Is fashion the new Swedish byproduct to the world? How good enough is to look good enough? Do Swedes face the fact of public appearance as fierce competition or is it just a hobby to look like a model or a rock start? Is Sweden the new Japan?

Sweden is also one of the most female liberal countries in the world, a role that often is pointed out as as model for feminist intervention. Does being on the edge of feminism and fashion awareness collide?

After nearly 2 years living in Stockholm and Göteborg, I'm still surprised with the degree of influence that fashion get's to play in the Swedish urban society. The exhibition that consists of an installation (my first to be presented) and photos taken at Fashion Week shows, catwalks and backstages tries to question the frontiers of fashion and people's self image.

Love in RGB, Nov. 29 - Dec. 20, 2007