Beloved
Nothing says "beloved" better than a wedding dress. Even in a thrift store, when I approach a rack of white gowns, and start looking through the bridal dresses, everyone says, "Oh, you're getting married." It is not a question, but more of a statement. "Congratulations," quickly follows before I have time to say, "I'm not . . ."
Nothing says, "You are important" more than a wedding dress. Worn on one of the happiest days of a woman's life, it is the most expensive dress most women will ever buy. When I began this project of transforming wedding gowns into artist's books, I never thought about the impact this project would have on my personal life. How symbolic lace, tulle, silk and white are.
How much cultural, historical, and economical information these dresses contain. How much emotional and psychological power they hold.
Today, when I put two of the wedding dresses in my backyard to photograph, I was blown away by their beauty, even though they cost about a few cups of cappuccinos, and were found in a thrift store.
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