Makeup is flexible. It can be an armour to fortify oneself, a shield used to distract and keep people’s attention at the surface level. For someone with a controlling nature, like myself, makeup is a way to exert force on the world by cultivating an aesthetic that both draws and denies. Makeup is also expressive, able to evoke sensations and manifest ideas with just a swipe of colour and shine. Any person who has been called a slut for wearing red lipstick knows exactly what I mean. Makeup is also fun, a joyful celebration of colour and texture and shape. These characteristics make makeup something both artistic and mundane, and that’s exactly how I would describe my own work.
