Cleansing

People are social animals. The basic need to belong to a social group and be accepted is the very need of survival of our species. People follow fashion, follow convention, conform to what’s acceptable by society and deny what’s not, even when deep inside they know it is not the right thing to do. Almost as if they have two different suits for themselves – one for the public and one for themselves. People like to believe they are free, but limit themselves by behaving in the expected way in public. Are they really free? What is true freedom in this sense? Not to conform, liberate oneself from the social mask and risk isolation when rejected from the society or cover with what is expected to blend into the environment and be free to join the group. The Cleansing series denote this paradox. While one subject metaphorically fights the cling wrap as resistance to conformity - white wrap on black background as a symbol of contrast and rebellion, another dutifully applies the mask necessary to fit in - black die on black background as a symbol of total coverage and invisibility. The Cleansing series represent the universal dilemma of the social animal – to blend in the society or stand out.