My intention was to show the development through a child’s life as a girl grows from babyhood through to teenhood. My images are thematically linked by a bow that is incorporated into all the photos. This is a reflection on the change a female child undergoes as she grows from a baby to a teen. We are so absorbed with commercialised objects today that I wanted to explore how, over time, girls change from unaffected infants into teens who are shaped to fit with today’s standards of society. Time here gives rise to the continued process of change as we observe the child at different points in her life.
At 6 months, the girl simply sucks on the bow, as with all other objects at this age – it has equal importance to all other objects that she explores with her mouth.
At 2 years, she has it clipped onto her ragdoll as she plays with it over the edge of her cot – she recognizes it as pretty and begins to use it as an accessory, but for her doll.
At 5 years, she has it clipped onto her schoolbag as she gets ready for her first day of school – not yet interested in fancy hairdos, she treasures the bow but uses it as a bag tag instead.
At 8 years, she uses it as part of her outfit, clipped to her dress as she reads in the corner – starting to explore fashion, she focuses on completing and coordinating outfits.
At 10 years, she begins to explore putting it in her hair as she matures and wants to make herself look pretty.
And finally, at 13 years, as she hits puberty and the start of womanhood, the hairpiece is used for its intended purpose, as the child becomes absorbed in the world of cosmetics and beauty.
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